Jorge Luis Velosa Ruiz (born October 6, 1949) is a Colombian singer-songwriter, professor, actor, and writer, recognized as one of the leading exponents and initiators of carranguera music. Graduated from the

National University of Colombia The National University of Colombia () is a national public research university in Colombia, with general campuses in Bogotá, Medellín, Manizales and Palmira, and satellite campuses in Leticia, San Andrés, Arauca, Tumaco, and La Paz, ...

as a veterinary physician, Velosa chose to fully dedicate himself to music and literature with a carranguero flavor.

Early life and education

Jorge Luis Velosa Ruiz was born on October 6, 1949, in

Ráquira Ráquira, is a municipality and town in Boyacá Department, Colombia, part of the subregion of the Ricaurte Province. Ráquira is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the urban center at an altitude of . It borders Tinjacá and Sutamarc ...

, a municipality in the Boyacá department, Colombia. From his childhood, he was surrounded by rural and peasant traditions that would later influence his artistic career. He grew up in a modest family that greatly valued music and the customs of their region. Before fully dedicating himself to music, Velosa showed great interest in studies. He moved to Bogotá to continue his higher education, where he obtained the title of veterinary physician from the National University of Colombia. Although he worked as a veterinarian, he never abandoned his passion for music, which would eventually become his true vocation.

Career

In the 1970s, while working as a veterinarian, Velosa began to investigate the potential of peasant music as a means to express the culture and traditions of his homeland. His interest in folklore drove him to experiment with carranga, a musical genre that blends traditional Andean rhythms with humorous, social, and poetic lyrics that tell the everyday life of Colombian peasants. In 1977, Velosa founded the musical group Los Carrangueros de Ráquira along with José Luis "El Chato" Lagos, Jorge González, and Ramiro Zambrano. With this group, he succeeded in consolidating carranga as a distinctive genre within Colombian music. Los Carrangueros made popular emblematic songs such as "La cucharita," "Julia, Julia, Julia," and "La china que yo tenía," which resonated deeply among peasants and also among urban audiences who appreciated the authenticity of this musical style.

Discography

Los Carrangueros de Ráquira (1979-1992)

* Javier Moreno Forero* – requinto, vocals * Jorge Luis Velosa* – vocals, riolina, guacharaca * Félix Ramiro Zambrano* – marcante guitar * Javier Apráez* - tiple

Jorge Velosa y Los Hermanos Torres (First Stage: 1984-1988)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, birimbao, guacharaca, riolina * Delio Torres Ariza* – requinto, vocals * Argemiro Torres Ariza* – guitar * Juan de Jesús Torres Camacho* – Tiple

Jorge Velosa y Los Hermanos Torres (Second Stage: 1989)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca * Delio Torres* – requinto, tiple, cuatro, clave, vocals * Argemiro Torres* – guitar * Francisco Aristizábal* – bongó

Jorge Velosa y Los Hermanos Torres (Third Stage: 1990)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca, riolina * Delio Torres* – requinto, vocals * Jairo Rincón Gómez* – Tiple, vocals * Argemiro Torres* – guitar, vocals

Velosa y Los Carrangueros (First Stage: 1992)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca, harmonica * Delio Torres* – requinto, vocals * Jairo Rincón Gómez* – Tiple * José Luis Posada Buitrago* – Guitar

Velosa y Los Carrangueros (Second Stage: 1993)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca, harmonica * Delio Torres* – requinto, vocals * José Luis Posada Buitrago* – Guitar * Jorge Eliecer González Virviescas* – Tiple

Velosa y Los Carrangueros (Third Stage: 1994-1995)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca * Luis Alberto Aljure Lis* – Tiple, bandola llanera, vocals * José Luis Posada Buitrago* – Guitar * Jorge González Virviescas* – Requinto, vocals

Velosa y Los Carrangueros (Fourth Stage: 1996-2003)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, guacharaca, harmonica * Luis Alberto Aljure Lis* – Tiple, tambor, vocals * Jorge González Virviescas* – Requinto, vocals * José Fernando Rivas Gómez* – Guitar, vocals

Velosa y Los Carrangueros (Fifth Stage: 2004-2020)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, riolina, guacharaca * Jorge González Virviescas* – requinto, vocals * José Fernando Rivas* – guitar, electric guitar, vocals * Manuel Cortés González* – Tiple, vocals

Jorge Velosa y Los Carrangueros del 25 (2024-Current)

* Jorge Velosa* – vocals, riolina, guacharaca * Marco Villarreal* – requinto * Gabriel Chaparro* – guitar * Angélica Fonseca* – Tiple

Compilations

Nominations and Awards

Recognitions

Filmography

Literature

* Sonidos Colombianos (Realización: José Perilla). ''Conversatorio con Velosa y Los Carrangueros''. Radio Nacional de Colombia, Radio Nacional ( RTVC), 22 de octubre de 2009.

External links

Centro Virtual de Documentación de la Música Carranguera

MySpace site

Traditional folkloric music blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Velosa, Jorge 1949 births 1990s missing person cases Colombian musicians Colombian veterinarians Formerly missing people Living people Kidnapped Colombian people Missing person cases in Colombia Missing Colombian people National University of Colombia alumni