Selling music for over 40 years

Don Manoling Villar of  Villar Records is generally referred to as the Father of Filipino Recording. I do not know what it will be but I am sure that someday, somebody will come up with a tag that will describe Vic del Rosario Jr. and his contribution to the local music industry.

Boss Vic, as he is known to people in the entertainment industry, is 62 years old today and he has been selling music for over 40 years. He was still in high school when he started tagging along to the gigs of his cousin Orly Ilacad who was frontman of the combo, The Ramrods in the early ’60s. It was a great period for popular music everywhere and though still very young, Del Rosario saw the massive potentials of pop music as a business venture. He was 20 years old when he and Orly officially formed Vicor Records and from there started a career more exciting and rewarding than he probably ever even dreamed of.

From a one-room office in Raon where he and Orly were executives sharing one desk and also packing and delivering records, Vicor grew into the foremost purveyor of Filipino music and became the first independent company to take on the foreign labels and win. Through over 5000 albums recorded in a span of 20 years, Del Rosario ably steered artists and musicians to amazing heights. He helped popularize Pinoy Rock (Juan de la Cruz Band, Sampaguita), Pinoy folk (Freddie Aguilar, Asin), the Manila Sound (Hot Dog, Cinderella, VST & Co.) and even traditional Filipino music with modern arrangements immortalized by Pilita Corrales.

That time is now is known as the Golden Age of Filipino Music. For the first time, local artists were outselling the foreigners and headlining sold-out concerts. Of course, Del Rosario was the main man pulling all the strings as Vicor branched out into producing concerts, TV specials and even the distribution of products from the foreign competition. Victor Wood, Basil Valdez, Rico Puno, Sharon Cuneta, Jose Mari Chan, Nora Aunor, Rey Valera, Apo Hiking Society, Celeste Legaspi, Anthony Castelo, Kuh Ledesma, Didith Reyes, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Raymond Lauchengco and Zsa Zsa Padilla are but a few of those who recorded and made landmark hits for Vicor.

His experience with Vicor ably prepared Del Rosario for Viva Films which he formed in 1982. Again, he was at the forefront of what became a great era for the motion picture industry. Viva became a byword for quality entertainment and for the first time, Filipino movies were outselling the foreign competition at the box-office. Now considered classics from that golden age are the likes of Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan, Paano Bang Mangarap, Bituing Walang Ningning, Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, Working Girls, Bagets The Flor Contemplacion Story and many others.

But despite the big money to be made from films, music remained Del Rosario’s first love. This was most evident in the clever use of theme songs in Viva films, the founding of Viva Records and in the fact that the brightest stars were most of the time singers who act or vice-versa. Sharon, Zsa Zsa, Raymond and Gary V were among them and they were later joined by Donna Cruz, Andrew E, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and others. Why, even action heroes, Fernando Poe Jr. (Kumusta Ka from Kahit Konting Pagtingin) and Robin Padilla (Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka from Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw) took their turns at the microphone to record songs for their Viva movies that later became hits.

Not as well-known but just as notable among Del Rosario’s accomplishments is the fact that he professionalized songwriting in the Philippines. In his own way he put an end to the concept that writing songs was a dilletante undertaking from which nobody could earn a living. Of course, there was really no way he could put an end to the fabled wine, women and song lifestyle of some composers but through music publishing and astute management he proved that Filipino songwriters can make a living out of music.

It was with his guidance that George Canseco wrote his finest works (Ngayon at Kailanman, Paano Bang Mangarap, Hiram), that Freddie Aguilar became famous all over the world (Anak) and that Willy Cruz created some of his most beautiful melodies for Viva movies (Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, Bituing Walang Ningning, Pangarap Na Bituin).

It has been 43 years since he thought of Vicor and dropped out of college and he now has to contend with piracy that adversely affects the entertainment business. But the enthusiasm has not waned one bit as he looks with eager eyes on what he can create and what he can make use of among the emerging new technology.

Happy Birthday, Boss Vic.