Listening to the rhythmic sounds of Mambo, Cha-Cha-Chá and Bolero, I can only imagine what the extraordinary life of the late Pablo Rodríguez must have been like during his heyday. I can recall my own mother, who was born on the same island as this Puerto Rican virtuoso, sharing stories about her late-night dancing to his music in the early 1950s at the legendary Palladium ballroom.

As I began to closely analyze the phenomenal career of this musical genius, I immediately thought about a well-known expression often coined by newly arrived immigrants who settled in this country searching for a better life.

It’s called “The American Dream” – and undoubtedly Mr. Rodríguez truly lived it.

Think for moment of a 6-year-old child, born of Puerto Rican-Cuban descent in 1923, who sadly lost both his parents at a young age. There’s even a childhood story of how Pablo supposedly possessed only one set of nice clothes and on an uncomfortably warm day wore a sweater to disguise a hole in his shirt.

He was ridiculed by the school children and this seminal moment would forever impact his public and private persona for the rest of his adulthood.

Although he would drop out of school, he taught himself how to read and write in Spanish and English. Arriving in the United States in 1940, Pablo settled in New York City to join his older brother, Johnny who was a musician. This sibling relationship impacted his younger brother who learned how to play not only the timbales and bongos but other instruments as well. He eventually signed a record deal where he would become a singer, composer and bandleader. He even founded his own record label.

The “Birth” Of Tito

In Puerto Rico, he hosted “El Show de Tito Rodríguez” with special guests such as Eddie Palmieri, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Roberto Clemente, Sarah Vaughan and Orlando Cepeda – all of whom appeared on his wildly popular telecast.

His legions of fans from every part of the Afro-Cuban diaspora would dance, sing and forever remember him as the incomparable Pablo “Tito” Rodriguez. He would later legally change his name and be remembered as “Tito.”

But it was his extraordinary voice, a God-given gift, along with his slow-tempo ballads that created his legend as one of the trailblazers in Afro-Cuban music. Not only did he produce an anthology of noteworthy songs, he would one day record an unforgettable bolero that would become his signature tune – “El Inolvidable” (The Unforgettable One).

His stage persona was remarkably similar to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, but when I first heard his fascinating voice, I immediately thought of the incomparable Nat King Cole.

During his triumphs while pursuing “The American Dream,” a lovely, Japanese-American woman would be by his side. She was his soul mate and personified the old proverbial saying: Behind every great man, there is a great woman.

Tito Rodríguez, who was idolized by millions around the U.S. and Latin America, would become a devoted husband to Takeko Kuminatsu. She was a singer and former chorus girl whom he met at the renowned China Club in New York City.

Before meeting Tito, Kuminatsu experienced a heartbreaking period in her adolescent life. During World War II, more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans were relocated and forced into an internment camp. For Takeko and her immediate family, it was an agonizing story that remained a mystery until her untimely passing in 1984.

Throughout their marriage, it was noted how much of an influence she had throughout his storied career. From recordings, writing contracts, staff employment and numerous decision-making deals, Takeko had the business acumen to help advance the career of her extremely talented husband. Without her, the world quite possibly wouldn’t have enjoyed the greatness of El Inolvidable.

Both Tito and Takeko experienced heartbreak during their childhoods but would become attentive parents to their own offspring: Cindy and Tito Jr. Sadly, both siblings lost their parents at a young age (50 and 59 respectively). The sudden loss of a celebrated personality, who captivated the hearts and souls of the New York City panorama, made it extremely difficult to comprehend.

The Emergence Of A Son

“We were devastated. He was a consummate professional. He never sang out of key. Although he was only 5 feet 4 inches tall, he could light up a room just by walking in and had the entire room in his pocket,” said Tito Jr., 65 while reminiscing about the man he simply knew as ‘Dad.’”

As the children of famous musicians, Tito Jr., who is currently one of the leading timbale artists in today’s Latino market, is approached often by an older generation who heard his father perform at the iconic nightclubs of that era. There’s even a new wave of younger, Latino fans wanting to experience the beauty of Mambo, Salsa and Afro-Cuban music.

Throughout the 1940s and 1970s, three of the top Latino performers who headlined numerous venues in the states and abroad were Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo affectionately known by his stage name, “Machito,” Tito Puente and of course Tito Rodríguez.

In an in-depth telephone interview, Tito Jr. said Machito Jr. and Tito Puente’s son experienced similar upbringings to his own.

“The main thing we’ve experienced (is the attitude) that everything is handed on a silver plate because you are the son of (a celebrity). I disagree with that,” said Tito Jr. matter-of-factly. “If your father had a successful whatever – in any other business – you’re raised in that environment. You’ll pass it down to your kids. Wouldn’t you want your family to continue the same tradition?”

Born on the outskirts of New York City, Tito Jr. described his parents’ first home and the surrounding community as an “awesome neighborhood where I really enjoyed some great friends.”

It was in that middle-class home in Little Neck, Queens, the future percussionist, who started playing the drums in his parents’ basement at the age of six, gravitated toward the Latin rhythms.

“I always had a drum set. My father taught me how to play the timbales. My dad explained to me how to play the 2-3, 3-2 claves, when to hit the bell, and the cascara (shell of the drum),” he said reflecting on those early years.

Around the age of 16, before deciding he was going to pursue a musical career, Tito Jr., obsessed with his toy trucks, shared with his parents about wanting to be a garbage truck driver.

He added: “My dad didn’t have a formal education, and he wanted us to have one (Tito Jr. attended Berklee College of Music and graduated from the University of Miami.) When I decided it was music, he wanted me to enroll in a college and be properly taught. But he didn’t care what I did. If I wanted to be a garbage man, as long as I gave 100%.”

When his parents decided to move to Puerto Rico, his father constructed a beautiful, Japanese pagoda home dedicated to his loving wife. For the next three years, it was unquestionably a sudden change of pace for Tito Jr., and his Japanese-American mom.

“It was definitely a culture shock. I didn’t speak Spanish. From the privacy of our secluded home in New York to living in Puerto Rico, and everyday someone screaming, ‘Tito, Tito, Tito,’ our lives totally changed.”

After the family moved back to the states, they lived in Old Cutler Bay, Florida. Although he wanted to keep his illness private, his father, in one of his final concerts in New York City, performed with Machito’s orchestra at the legendary Madison Square Garden on February 2, 1973. He would become the first Latin-American artist to headline the marquee at this celebrated arena. Twenty-six days later, he succumbed to leukemia.

Creating His Sound

Two years after his father’s untimely passing, Tito Jr. would release his first album entitled “Curious.” He readily admitted this album was an “experiment” and he wasn’t fully prepared.

Almost 20 years later, “The Mambo Kings” hit the big screen and although this 1992 motion picture featured Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Desi Arnaz Jr. who portrayed his late father, a number of renowned musicians worked on the movie soundtrack. The reaction to the movie, set in the early 1950s, garnered mostly positive reviews and there seemed to be growing interest in this genre of music – Mambo.

Tito Jr. mentioned how nobody was doing his father’s music and was approached about resurrecting his father’s orchestra. He stated emphatically he would gladly do it but only on one condition – he would also produce his own music as well.

In 1994, Tito Jr.’s second album “Eclipse” was released and was a huge success. He credits the late Grammy Award winning musician Ray Santos, who worked with Machito, Tito Puente and Tito’s own father. Nicknamed, “El Maestro,” Santos, who recently died at the age of 90, masterfully arranged Tito Jr.’s 13-piece orchestra to capture the “ensemble sound.”

He remarked, “Ray Santos was absolutely brilliant at doing that.”

He continued, “The album was very successful. I had three hits including ‘Mujer Erotica’ and it’s still very popular today. ‘Eclipse’ is considered a classic and is one of top-CD favorites among Salsa Congresses around the world.”

After the numerous accolades he received from the “Eclipse” album, the only son of “El Inolvidable” began to see the reality of the music industry – and it wasn’t positive.

“The reason there was such a huge gap between albums is because I couldn’t get a record deal,” said Rodríguez Jr. on the monopoly and control of record companies.

But, with the release of his 2018 album “Transición,” Tito Jr. felt the recording industry was no longer a one-sided conglomerate.

“No one can tell you you’ll never record an album. Today, you can put your own product out. You’re able to take care of the distribution, use your own money, and control the publishing. It’s an even playing field,” stated Tito Jr. on beauty of producing your own music.

And there’s something else – he actually did his timbales part in a home studio in West Palm Beach and began to learn about this innovative way of producing music. It was truly an eye-opener for this timbalero. Tito Jr. said the rest of the album was completed remotely through the sharing of music files using a software technology called Pro Tools 12.

One of his biggest hits on his “Transición” album is called “Volver” and the lyricist remarked to Tito Jr. there was only one singer who could truly capture the essence of this moving, Salsa song – Gilberto Santa Rosa, El Caballero de la Salsa (The Gentleman of Salsa).

Unbeknownst to the lyricist, Gilberto and Tito Jr. have been dear friends for close to 30 years. Prior to their close friendship, they became acquainted with one another through a mutual friend because Santa Rosa is a huge fan of his father’s music.

Gilberto’s performances have captivated his audiences around the globe for more than four decades and as Tito Jr. describes his unbelievably, talented friend as a “Tito Rodríguez Idol” who not only owns the Japanese-style home the Rodríguez family once lived in but inside there is a Puerto Rican shrine of rare artifacts dedicated to “El Inolvidable.”

Gilberto was honored to be a part of his dear friend’s (who he affectionately calls “Miles”) comeback album.

He was thrilled not only that Santa Rosa participated in his third album, but also felt the music gods were in his corner. A week after Santa Rosa completed the song in his recording studio in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria completely devastated the entire island’s infrastructure.

His Father’s Advice

Not only is Tito Jr. always searching for musical talent (even on YouTube), but he also loves baseball. His dad enjoyed all sports and was especially close friends with Orlando Cepeda, Héctor López, Luis Aparicio and even golfer “Chi-Chi” Rodríguez. But he also shared a rare story about meeting another dear friend of his father the late Roberto Clemente.

Ironically, years later, Clemente would appear on his father’s variety show, and a young Tito Jr. was actually working as a cameraman inside the studio. But, on Saturday, October 12, 1963, he met Clemente for the very first time. Like his father – who was always flawlessly dressed – Tito Jr. was also wearing a suit. Although he was thrilled to be at the ballpark, he wished he wasn’t wearing his ‘Sunday Best.’

As he recalls when his father would say: “We’re heading to the city,” Tito Jr. remembers mumbling to himself, “Ah man, I gotta wear a suit and tie.” But knowing he was going to see his favorite player, who was already an All-Star with the San Francisco Giants, made the trip from Little Neck a worthwhile experience.

“We were good friends with Orlando [Cepeda]. When he was in town, he would always come to my house. We would play catch outside our home, and he loved my mom’s rice and beans. He called my dad and invited us to a Latino All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds,” said Tito Jr.

He continued, “So I meet Clemente for the first time. I remember he was such a class act and he says to me, ‘You want to be the batboy?’ Because I was wearing my suit, I couldn’t do it (laugh). But I do have a picture with Orlando in storage.”

Whether it was to become a garbage man, a musician or even the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a batboy, Tito Jr. was born to perform the extraordinary music connected to his father’s legacy. Along with the success of his latest album “Transición” and his unwavering love for the timbales, Tito Jr.’s narrative will forever be linked to a middle class home in Little Neck, New York, where at a young age the man he called “Dad” taught him how to play a percussion instrument.

Since his passing, his father’s remarkable journey is the perfect example for the next generation of musicians to examine how a precocious boy from a small island in the Caribbean followed his own sage advice: To always give 100%, to dress impeccably well in public and on stage, and to strive to be a perfectionist.

And Tito Jr. has never forgotten the impactful words Dad once shared with his namesake about the music business. It still resonates to this very day:

“When you’re doing music, simplicity is the name of the game. There are 88 keys on the piano. You don’t have to play all of them.” •

Follow Danny Torres on Twitter @DannyT21