Carlos Vives was born August 7th, 1961 in Santa Marta, Colombia, where he graduated as a publicist. With an ample trajectory as a soap opera actor and singer, the figure of Carlos Vives has become in the last few years an international star of inestimable dimensions. He made his debut as an actor of soap operas in 1982, taking part in a total of seven productions in Colombia and Puerto Rico before starting his career as a singer in 1988 when he produced his first disc. A year later, thanks to the recording of the series "Escalona" Carlos Vives participated in the production of the sound track. The disc will become the greatest hit with the highest record of sales in the entire history of Colombia.

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  In 1991, Carlos decided to organize ?The Province? band and from then on his prestige has been fortified as an artist who elaborates his music inspired by the rich traditions of his town. Always vibrating to unisonous of his roots as Colombian and South American in general, Vives has made several discs to rescue the pure essence of the "vallenato". Supported by its unquestionable quality and creativity as a singer and music director, Carlos Vives next to the Province, has popularized a gender before reserved for purists of the interior of Colombia.
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  Most people would simply describe "Vallenato" as a type of music from the northern coast of Colombia, more precisely from Valledupar, capital of the state of Cesar. While the term "Vallenato" could reference all those born in the valley ("nato del Valle"), or things originating from Valledupar (Valle de Upar, the valley of a legendary Indian leader), the enlightened explanation is this: In the rural areas along the banks of the Cesar River, many of the extremely poor inhabitants suffered from a mosquito borne disease that left their skin dry and flaky, with patches of discoloration. It reminded people of newborn whales, called "pintaos" or "Vallenatos". So "Vallenatos" became a derogatory name for the river based poor.
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  The fact is, that ?Vallenato? is more than music: it is livelihood as well as romantic expressions capable of touching anyone who knows and understands the importance of this cultural treasure. The "romancero" Vallenato is a man for whom the woman and his native town with all its customs are the most important things in life. The woman that the "romancero" is in love with is the focal point of almost all his songs and many times these are composed to be sung at midnight in front of the bedroom window of the beloved woman's house. The "serenata vallenata" (the Vallenato serenade) is a custom that has lasted for many years and although it is no longer as common as it was in the past, it is still practiced among the people of small towns or provinces.
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  Vallenato lyrics are usually plain writings of everyday events, passion, eternal love, village folklore, travelogues and miracles blurred in the telling; voices crack, crackle with emotion in a music that so influenced everyone. Vallenato is for listening. What began as a mestizo ranchers and peasant music in an isolated area has recently evolved into one of the country's most popular music, tapping into an idealized national character of romance and magic.
  Vallenato is a combination of three basic musical instruments such as an accordion, a bongo, and a guiro producing as a result a unique type of music that after many years of being confined to the region, it expanded nationwide and later crossed many borders of Spanish-speaking countries as well as selected European and North American cities.
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  Colombians are proud to point out that Vallenato symbolizes the unique and largely imagined harmonious relationship between the races that comprise their country: native Indians, Black Africans and the Spanish. Each group is said to have contributed an instrument to the ensemble.
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  The accordion carries the melody in vallenato. The accordion first came to Colombia in the latter 1800's where it was used in European dance music. From the very beginning it was considered a low-brow instrument, a position it proudly maintains to this day. The isolation of the region meant that accordionists were both unschooled and on their own when it came to technique. Many developed unorthodox fingering techniques to set them apart from competitors and bent scales to suit their vocal abilities or individual leanings.
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  The "caja" is a single headed, foot-high tunable cylinder drum whose origin is attributed to Africans who came to Colombia during the colonial era as slaves. Some histories reference this "box" as literally a wooden box in the earliest days of the music's development. A good player produces a remarkable range of sounds from this simple drum.
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  Indigenous Indians are said to have contributed the guacharaca to the ensemble. Originally the scraper was made from a plant called the "little grape of tin" that was struck with an animal jawbone. Modern electric bands also use a hollow metal cylindrical scrapper that resembles a food grater.
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  The big push came in the early 90's with the airing of the soap opera, ?Escalona.? Here the life of the famous composer Rafael Escalona was played by a handsome young actor in tight jeans, Carlos Vives, who captured the imagination of the nation. Playing ?Escalona? actually created an interest in the music for Vives. Soon he was recording and touring throughout the Americas with some of the best musicians. Vallenato was at its apex of popularity. By 1995 Vives' Vallenato had evolved into an all encompassing pan-Colombian rock, with instrumentation that included Amazonian, Andean and local native Chimila Indian flutes and percussion.
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  Through all the changes Vallenato has retained it's focus on the lyrics and the accordion, even if now the duties are split between two artists, and regardless of the number of players in an ensemble. “Ask anyone in the Latin music arena of the United States about el vallenato as it is commonly known the most popular music emanating from Colombia since the 1970's, and they would immediately associate it with the modern sounds of Carlos Vives... [he has] brought unprecedented Vallenato awareness to many Spanish and non-Spanish speaking music enthusiasts around the world” (Moya, 1997). During his musical career of only nine years, Carlos Vives has won more than thirty recognitions, including, Diamond, Platinum, and Gold records. In 1996 he also was part of the group that recorded for "United Voices,” the official album of the Olympic Games of Atlanta.
  
  References:
  
  Carlos Vives.http://www.presidencia.gov.co/webpresi/turismo/cvives.htm
  
  Carlos Vives con Sabor Provinciano. http://www.notas.com/html/carlos_vives.html
  
  Famosas Biografías: Carlos Vives. http://www.portalmix.com/famosos/cvives_bio.htm
  
  Moya, L (1997). Vallenato: An Overview. http://www.vallesounds.com/valle/vallenateng.html
  
  This essay was presented at:
  COLLEGE OF ALAMEDA
  Ms. August Flowers
  Human Values
  Carlos Vives
  By: Elena Sánchez
  
  November 28, 2001