José Miguel Class Ponce (September 26, 1935 – April 13, 2017) was a
Puerto Rican singer who garnered international fame during the 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
Nicknamed "El Gallito de Manatí" ("Manati's Bantam"), Class achieved fame in
Puerto Rico in the 1960s before moving to
Mexico, where he achieved wide success. His period as a resident there proved important for his career: He released various Mexican music
albums and he was able to achieve fame across
Central America,
South America and the rest of the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
.
When Class returned to Puerto Rico during the decade of the '70s, he immediately landed a weekly
television show in
Rafael Perez Perry's Channel 11, which he co-hosted with Awilda (Awilda La Mimosa) Pedrosa. His adopted Mexican accent was noticeable during the run of this show; as a matter of a fact, he kept the Mexican accent for a very long time. His catchphrase was "Yo soy el Gallo!" ("I am the Rooster!") He retired to his hometown of Manati. He released over 20 albums, many of which have been converted into
CD format.
Death
Class died on the morning of April 13, 2017, aged 81 following a long illness at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.
Selected discography
;Singles
Nuestro Pan De Cada Dia
*"Despedida", written by Jose Manuel "Taty" Calderón Hernandez.
References
External links
José Miguel Class biography, National Foundation for Popular Culture, San Juan, Puerto Rico (in Spanish) prpop.org; accessed April 13, 2017.
SEE English translation here
See also
* List of Puerto Ricans
* List of Puerto Rican songwriters
*Irish immigration to Puerto Rico
Irish immigration to Puerto Rico began during the period of Spanish colonization of the island, continuing through 19th century to the present day. During the 16th century, many Irishmen, who were known as " Wild Geese", deserted from the Engl ...
1936 births
2017 deaths
People from Manatí, Puerto Rico
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
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