Rogelio Mendoza Buried, Emblematic Voice of the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo

May 14, 2021

The interpreter Rogelio "Nono" Mendoza García, one of the emblematic voices of the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo, passed away in the early morning of May 13 in Manzanillo, at the age of 82, after a prolonged illness.

Very charismatic, a quality that gave him overflowing sympathy and affection among Manzanillo residents, Nono was the owner of a tone and melody, capable of "strolling through" with ease and professionalism the vocal registers of son, bolero, guaracha and other genres.

He is not a founder of what became known as Súper Charanga de Cuba, but a few months after that event, on December 21, 1963, Mendoza García attended the rehearsals of the group, accompanied by his friend and singer, Manolo del Valle, and from that point on began his rise to stardom in Cuban dance music.

The artistic record shows his permanence in the orchestra for almost 40 years, during which he signed duets of exceptional quality with Pedro Rivero González, defined in that period as the "blend" of voices with the greatest brilliance within the panorama of popular dance music in Cuba.

Known by everyone as "El Dandi, de la loma," in reference to the place where he lived (Maceo Street going up) and to the elegant and genteel aspect of his personality, distinguished by a broad smile, in Rogelio was always evident the love for the artistic work together with the Original and that they took from Cape San Antonio to the tip of Maisí and through hundreds of cities in the world.

The funeral services of the outstanding singer were held at the local funeral home, from where the procession departed two hours later to the cemetery of the City of the Gulf of Guacanayabo.