Fito Olivares

Rodolfo Olivares (Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico on April 19, 1947), known as Fito Olivares is a Mexican cumbia musician.^[1]

Biography

He was born on April 19, 1947 in Tamaulipas. He is a son of María Cristina Olivares and Mucio Olivares. He spent his childhood on a ranch of Rechinadores Tamaulipas. In the school of this ranch he learned to play the harmonica that his father bought him. His father Mucio Olivares was a good saxophonist and they started practicing with the saxophone together when he was 12. He graduated from the commercial academy in 1961 and began to work keeping accounts of some businesses. He began to play professionally in 1963, at the age of 16, in the same Camargo Tamaulipas CD.^[2]

Career

With a local group in 1962 he was invited by Abel Martínez, Bernardo Gómez and Noé Santos to be part of the Duet Estrella in Miguel Alemán Tam.^[3] In 1963 he composed his first song "Ya No Eres Mia" that would lead an LP of the Duet Estrella. In 1979 Fito became part of Tam and Tex and he wrote such songs as "La Otra Musiquera", "Mi Tamaulipeca", "Flor de Lirio".^[4] Fito Olivares y su Grupo La Pura Sabrosura was born in 1980 in Houston after they released their first album “Mi Profesión.” It was recorded under the label Gil Records. Then came La Cruda, Cumbia ET, La Viuda Millonaria, Yuca the Bionic Girl, La Güera Salome, El Cometa, Juana La Cubana, The Doctor, La Gallina, Mi Caballito, La Negra Catalina, Agüita de Melón, Cumbia Caliente, El Mensajero ^[5]. His biggest hit, “Juana La Cubana,” was nominated for Lo Nuestro Awards, and his next hit, “El Colesterol,” won an ASCAP award in 1996 for best song in the regional Mexican category.^[6] Fito has his own recording studio, Japonica Studio, and his own publisher where he records his songs, Sabrosura Music.^[7]

References