Louie O celebrates 45 years of music

Louie Ocampo is celebrating his 45 years in the entertainment business this year. To mark the event, Viva Live and Solaire Resorts and Entertainment City have put together a show titled Composer Ka Lang. It will be held on Feb. 4 and 5 at 8 in the evening at The Theatre at Solaire.

Strange title for a concert, you might think. But this is how Louie is being talked about these days. “Composer ka lang” comes from a semi-finalist contestant in the talent search Tawag ng Tanghalan, where Louie is one of the judges. She did not like the way he was judging her singing. So, she went online and ranted “Composer ka lang.” The rejoinders in Louie’s defense were swift, “Contestant ka lang.” Ouch!

For the anniversary concert, the composer lang will give the audience a look into his beginnings, his inspirations, his successes and even into his personal life. Louie will be both musical director, performer and celebrant. He will be joined on stage by some of the biggest luminaries in the country who have had the opportunity to sing his works. Among them are Sharon Cuneta, Basil Valdez, Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Marco Sison.

Strangely though, if the young Louie had his way, the past 45 years would never have happened. He grew up in a house near the Cultural Center of the Philippines and he often accompanied his father to watch shows. Like most kids from affluent households, he was also given piano lessons. A very good start for what would be his career. But there was a problem, he hated the piano and would run away from his lessons.

Then, Louie changed and this was because of two things that figured prominently in the trajectory of his career as a musician. The first one was he discovered the organ. Not the one used to play Bach fugues in churches but the modern version which could be named Hammond, Yamaha or something else and which was the rage in the Philippines back in the ‘70s.

Louie did not like playing the piano but he loved tinkering with all those buttons and the rhythm box on the organ that could change his playing into the sound he liked. To play the organ well, he had to master the piano and that was what he did. Fact is, he played the organ so well that he started winning prizes in music competitions.

The second are girls or females, which I think need no definition or reason for being in Louie’s life. There was a time when you can put Louie in the company of a pretty girl and he will get the creative juices flowing. His very first composition as a teenager, Moods of Tina, was inspired by a pretty ballet dancer. It also won him his first prize as a composer and performer.

Louie’s first serious relationship provided the inspiration for him to venture into songwriting. It eventually ended but resulted in three winners. Maghihintay Ako, the first hit song by Anthony Castelo; Hagkan, which he composed for the young Sharon Cuneta; and Ewan by the Apo Hiking Society. Ewan won him Second Place in the 1979 Metro Manila Pop Music Festival. Louie, the composer was on his way to the top.

His celebrated relationship with singer Joey Albert ended long ago but still intrigues fans.  This one resulted in Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, It’s Over Now, You Threw It All Away and Tell Me, which she recorded to huge success.

By this time Louie had already so mastered composing that he was churning out one hit after another. Besides, he had gotten married and was instead drawing inspiration from his family. Say That You Love Me by Basil Valdez, Don’t Say Goodbye by Pops Fernandez, You Are My Song by Regine Velasquez, So Many Questions by Side A, Ikaw by Sharon Cuneta, Kahit Isang Saglit by Vernie Varga, Closer You and I by Gino Padilla and others.

With all those titles, there is no question that Louie is certainly not a composer lang. He is also other things besides, an arranger, a musical director and a popular TV personality. And stars are coming out to show the world what he is on Feb. 4 and 5 at Solaire.