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Sonora Palacios
Sonora Palacios
Origin	Santiago, Chile
Genres	Cumbia, Chilean cumbia, Tropical
Members	Marty Palacios C (Music Director Trumpet); Marty Palacios M (Manager Director -Timbaleta); Nelson Palacios (Conga drum); Marvyn Palacios (Bongos - Piano); Tanti Ibarra (drums); Paul Jara (calabash); Gerardo Segura (Bass); Mario Suazo (Guitar); Carlos Valdebenito (Piano); Wilson Garcia (Trumpet); Miguel Hille (Trumpet); Michael Bringuez (Trumpet); Camilo Sepulveda (Voice-Chorus); Rodrigo Cardenas (Voice-Chorus); Staff:; Francisco Aguilera (Sound); Eddy Palacios (Sound); Victor Lopez (Driver); Flavio Silva (Engineer); Ramón Bringuez (Engineer); Jaising Pasten
Past members	(Voice) Patricio Zuñiga "Tommy Rey"; Orlando Ramirez; Luis Eyzaguirre; Manuel Rojas; Pilo Mendez; Manuel Palacios; Julio Palacios; Jose Mendoza

Sonora Palacios is one of Chile's oldest tropical orchestras. Formed in the early 1960s, the group is one of the main exponents of Chilean cumbia and were pioneers of the style. They were the first Chilean band to record cumbia and are widely recognized for establishing the popularity of cumbia in Chile.^[1]

History

Early success

In the 1950s, tropical music was very popular among Chileans. Then came the 1960s, a time of great change in the music scene. Along with rock and roll from the US, cumbia style from the Caribbean came to Chile. Amparito Jiménez became very popular in Chile with the song "La Pollera Colora", and in order to adapt to the new trends, tropical bands begin to include in their repertoire cumbia and rock and roll.

It was around this time that the Palacios brothers (Jorge, Patricio, Oscar, Carlos and Marty) created "Sonora Palacios". In 1962, they recorded their first LP record with the songs "La Mafafa" and "El Caminante". In 1964, they got their first contract to work abroad and they travelled to Argentina. They returned to Chile to receive the "Laurel De Oro" award, one of the most important music prizes of that time.

In 1969, the band was awarded two other important prizes, "El Panchito de Oro" and "El Morro", thanks to their success in Chile, Argentina and other countries in South America. The airline Varie and a Yugoslavian tourist agent and producer Putnik hired them to perform in the hotels, bars and clubs in the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia), Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and the University of Zagreb in Croatia. Once they returned to Chile they were awarded the "Silver Disc" by the Chilean branch of Philips records.

Continuing success, 1965-1980

After the great success of their first LP, the orchestra increase their performances and become frequent guest of the show Sábado Gigante Internacional, the longest-running television variety series in history, which was then in its infancy.^[2] Because of their popularity, they were invited to take part in the first Teletón in 1978.

Also in 1978, they recorded "Candombe para José",for which they would later be awarded a "Gold Disc".

In 1979, the band performed in the "El Festival Tropical de Salsa" (Salsa Tropical Festival) in Lucerne, Switzerland and recorded "Feliz Navidad" (Happy Christmas). In 1980, despite some internal struggles, they recorded their last album with lead singer Patricio Zúñiga. The album included one of the most popular songs in Chilean popular culture, "Un año más",^[3] commonly played at every New Year's Eve party.

Internal crisis

From now on, internal crisis would divide the orchestra. In 1982, Patricio Zuñiga, known today as Tommy Rey, left the band after 19 years. Zuñiga was well known as lead singer of the band, his voice and personal stamp were recognized throughout Chile and, with Sonora Palacios, he had helped to create what would become Chilean cumbia.

The reason given by each side for the split differ slightly, but both agree that a key factor was the conflict between the Palacios brothers, led by Marty Palacios, and the rest of the band, led by Zuñiga.

Zuñiga has said:

"Well, the years passed, I was with them for many years, nineteen as I said. In 1982 the problems were quite serious, we hadn't worked much, we had financial problems, we were not recording, we were stuck. Those of us who were not "Palacios" brothers" had a talk, and thought "we can not stand this situation", and decided to separate and form another band. That was in '82".
— Interview with Tommy Rey, April 30, 2011^[4]

In the words of Marty Palacios:

"Sometimes, especially in those years, it was difficult to find a singer, because after a while they want to go solo or start something new, and that’s what happened with Tommy, although I think he was influenced by his manager of that time"
— La Cuarta, Marty Palacios 2014^[5]

Although difficult, the separation was amicable, and Sonora Palacios and Sonora de Tommy Rey (Zuñiga's band) even share some of their most emblematic songs. In 2006 they performed together in the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Viña del Mar, Chile, proof of the friendship that exists today between the bands.

Awards

1989 Antorcha de Plata Viña del Mar International Song Festival
2005 Antorcha de Plata y Oro Viña del Mar International Song Festival
2006 Antorcha de Plata y Oro Viña del Mar International Song Festival
2012, received an award from the Culture Ministry of Chile ^[6] as recognition of their extensive career of more than 60 years ("Premio Ministerio de Cultura a Don Marty Palacios por los más de 60 años de trayectoria y su aporte a la música popular")
2013 Altazor Award for Best Popular Music album for "50 años en vivo" (50 Years of Live Shows).
2013 Premio Presidente de la República a la Música Chilena (President of the Republic Prize for Chilean Music) ^[7]

Discography

Originally, Sonora Palacios’ record label was Phillips. Once they moved to "Star Sound" records, the original release formats of their songs was altered and grouped into new albums.

Albums recorded under Philips, 1964 -1980

Explosión en Cumbias - 1964
Sonora Palacios - 1966
Tropical - 1968
Volumen 4 - 1971
Volumen 5 - 1972
Los Fabulosos - 1975
Sonora Palacios - 1978
Feliz Navidad - 1979
Sonora Palacios - 1980

Albums recorded under Star Sounds

Una vez más - 1984
Esta Es - 1984
La Inimitable - 1987
Canta Orlando Ramirez - 1988
Tropical Internacional - 1989
A lo Campeón - 1991
Esta Es - 1991 (same album as that released in 1984, but with two tracks deleted: "En Un Beso La Vida" and "Safari")
Una Vez Más - 1991? (same album as that released in 1984, but with two tracks deleted: "Sentimental" and "Mi Esperanza")
Más Éxitos Tropicales - 1992

Albums recorded under Calipso Records

La Única - 1994
Nuestros Grandes Éxitos Vol. 1 - 1995
Nuestros Grandes Éxitos Vol. 2 - 1996
Éxitos '97 - 1997
Éxitos de Oro - 1999
Éxitos 2000 - 2000

More recent albums

40 Años de Éxitos - 2004 (Sony Music Chile).
45 Años haciendo bailar a todo Chile - 2007 (Guyani Producciones).
Super Éxitos - 2009 (Universo Producciones).
Los Inolvidables y Nuevos Éxitos - 2009 (Guyani Producciones).
Cumbia del Casamiento recorded along Sexual Democracia.
Nuevo Éxitos - 2010 (Guyani Producciones)
50 Años - 2011 (Feria Mix).
Two song recorded with Chico Trujillo: ("Negra Santa", "El Caminante").
50 Años (en vivo) - 2012 (Plaza Independencia).
Yo también canto Cumbia - 2013 (Plaza Independencia)
(2013) several records with different Chilean singers: Zalo Reyes, Jose Alfredo Fuentes, Maria Jose Quintanilla, Claudio Escobar, Miguel Barriga, Douglas [es], German Casas, Juan David Rodriguez, Rodolfo Navech, Leandro Martinez.