Fausto Rey — Fausto Ramón Sepúlveda, born in Higüey on 1 December 1951 and known as El Niche — is a Dominican singer, songwriter and guitarist. He came out of the «Combo Show» of Johnny Ventura, went solo in 1970 and was one of the leading romantic voices in the country through that decade. He later recorded with Larry Harlow for «Fania», sang for the Dominican Republic at the «OTI» festival of 1980 and, in the mid-1980s, fronted a merengue orchestra under his own name.

Higüey and La Romana

He worked from childhood, shining shoes and selling sweets and religious prints in the street, and found music listening to the municipal band play in the park on Sundays. As a teenager, by then living in La Romana, he won amateur talent contests, formed a rock group called «Los Magnéticos» and sang with another band, «Brahmins». It was on that amateur circuit that Johnny Ventura found him and brought him into the «Combo Show».

Going solo

The «Combo Show» worked as a school for singers — Luisito Martí and Anthony Ríos also came through it — and in 1970 Fausto Rey left Johnny Ventura to record under his own name; Anthony Ríos took over his place in the band. An album a year followed: «Fausto Rey» (1970), four numbered sequels up to «Fausto Rey V» (1974), and «Latino» (1975). From them came «Moriré sin ti», «Lisa», «Dime», «Pecado mortal», «El inventario», «Qué triste», «Es tu día feliz», «¿Qué me vas a decir?», «Me muero por estar contigo», «Yolanda», «Te habré ganado o te perdí» and «Loco dicen que soy», the songs his audiences were still asking for decades later.

Salsa with Larry Harlow

At the end of 1979 he went into the studio with the pianist and bandleader Larry Harlow to make «La Responsabilidad» for «Fania», a mix of salsa and merengue that included «El puerquito en la yuca», «Barra limpia» and «Siempre tú». It reached the shops at the start of 1980. A review at the time judged that the label was pushing the wrong song to radio, and the album did not sell as well as expected. In the same years, with the Puerto Rican singer Sophy, he filled the Estadio Olímpico in Santo Domingo.

Buenos Aires and Juan Lockward

On 15 November 1980, at the Teatro General San Martín in Buenos Aires, he represented the country at the «OTI» festival with «Canción de un hombre simple», written by Yaqui Núñez del Risco and Jorge Taveras, who also conducted. It finished sixth among twenty-three entries, with 25 points. Two years later he shared an album with the singer Rafael Colón devoted to the songs of Juan Lockward, from «Quiéreme cual yo a ti» and «Flor de té» to «Santiago» and «Puerto Plata».

The merengue orchestra

In 1984 he reappeared at the head of «Fausto Rey y Orquesta». «Mi linda música» carried «El pájaro herido», arranged by Crispín Fernández; «La fiera» (1985) brought «¿De qué e’ que priva María?» and «Se va la vida»; and «La orquesta más completa» (1986) included two songs of his own, «Blanca Nieves» and «La tapa». In 1998 he tried bachata with «Bachata a media voz».

Legacy

Fausto Rey is one of the voices that defined the Dominican romantic ballad of the 1970s, and he moved from it into salsa, merengue and bachata without leaving it behind. He accompanies himself on guitar — a 1980 album is simply called «Fausto Rey y su guitarra» — and the songs of his first records remain the centre of his concerts.