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 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, 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
Album
Year
Record Label
Los Carrangueros de Ráquira
1980
Fondo Musical
¡Viva quien toca!
1981
Fondo Musical
Así es la vida
1982
Fondo Musical
Jorge Velosa y Los Hermanos Torres (First Stage: 1984-1988)
Received by the Mayor of Tunja on Farmers' Day, recognizing his cultural work.
1994
Baptism of Frog Species
Biologist John Lynch named two frog species in his honor: Pristimantis carranguerorum and Pristimantis jorgevelosai, belonging to the Strabomantidae family.
2012
Honorary Doctorate (National University of Colombia)
Received in recognition of his cultural and artistic contribution.
2023
Honorary Doctorate in Language and Culture (UPTC)
Awarded by the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia (UPTC) in recognition of his impact on culture and language.
Filmography
Year
Title
Character
First Broadcast
1982
Don Chinche
Florentino Bautista 'don Floro'
Cadena Uno (1987-1992) / RTVC PLAY Streaming Platform
1987–1992
Romeo y Buseta
Trino Epaminondas Tuta
Cadena Uno (1987-1992) / RTVC PLAY Streaming Platform
1988
Sumercé Estéreo
José del Carmen Romero / Trino Epaminondas Tuta
Radio Station
1993–1994
Los Tuta
Trino Epaminondas Tuta
Señal Colombia (1993-1994) / RTVC PLAY Streaming Platform
Literature
Year
Title
Publisher
1983
La cucharita y no sé qué más: historias para cantar
Carlos Valencia Editores
2021
El convite de los animales
Editorial Monigote
2023
Abuelo de pájaro
Editorial Monigote
2024
Historiando mi cantar. Un viaje por la carranga
Editorial Monigote
Sonidos Colombianos (Realización: José Perilla). Conversatorio con Velosa y Los Carrangueros. Radio Nacional (RTVC), 22 de octubre de 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
