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Stage Name: Ralfi Pagan
Real Name: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Date of Deceased: Unknown
Real Name: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Date of Deceased: Unknown
Ralfi Pagan passed without making a significant mark in the music industry, but not because he
didn't try. Raised on the Lower East Side of New York City, he was part of the city's bubbling
salsa scene in the '60s and late '70s. His main body of work -- four albums -- was waxed for
Johnny Pacheco and Gerald Masucci's Fania Records. Though a major player in the studio, he
didn't achieve the notoriety of some other Fania artists, known as the Fania All Stars and which
included Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Colon, Willie Bobo, Joe Bataan, Ralph Robles, and Bobby
Valentine. The label started on a shoestring and couldn't afford to promote its early product
across-the-board, but Fania records were hot platters on Latin radio stations.
Pagan was a gifted vocalist. His light, floating tenor was as serenading as Smokey Robinson's,
but more ardent when he came down from the clouds. His melodious crooning got some chart
action on a remake of Bread's "Make It With You" (1971) for Wand Records (Fania contracted
with Wand during this period). Two years later, he scored a minor charter with "Soul Je T'aime"
with Sylvia Robinson (now there's a duet made in heaven) on Robinson's Vibration label; but its
success was modest at number 39 R&B and 99 pop on Billboard. Other singles include "Didn't
Want to Have to Do It," "Just for a Little While," and "Come Back Baby."
In addition to the four Fania albums, he had an obvious hand in Ralfi Pagan Presents Johnny
Nelson, which is quite an item among collectors; Low Profile Records also reissued his second
Fania album, Ralfi Pagan With Love. Examples of Pagan's haunting vocals can be found on ITP
Records' East Side Classics series.
Article by Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
didn't try. Raised on the Lower East Side of New York City, he was part of the city's bubbling
salsa scene in the '60s and late '70s. His main body of work -- four albums -- was waxed for
Johnny Pacheco and Gerald Masucci's Fania Records. Though a major player in the studio, he
didn't achieve the notoriety of some other Fania artists, known as the Fania All Stars and which
included Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Colon, Willie Bobo, Joe Bataan, Ralph Robles, and Bobby
Valentine. The label started on a shoestring and couldn't afford to promote its early product
across-the-board, but Fania records were hot platters on Latin radio stations.
Pagan was a gifted vocalist. His light, floating tenor was as serenading as Smokey Robinson's,
but more ardent when he came down from the clouds. His melodious crooning got some chart
action on a remake of Bread's "Make It With You" (1971) for Wand Records (Fania contracted
with Wand during this period). Two years later, he scored a minor charter with "Soul Je T'aime"
with Sylvia Robinson (now there's a duet made in heaven) on Robinson's Vibration label; but its
success was modest at number 39 R&B and 99 pop on Billboard. Other singles include "Didn't
Want to Have to Do It," "Just for a Little While," and "Come Back Baby."
In addition to the four Fania albums, he had an obvious hand in Ralfi Pagan Presents Johnny
Nelson, which is quite an item among collectors; Low Profile Records also reissued his second
Fania album, Ralfi Pagan With Love. Examples of Pagan's haunting vocals can be found on ITP
Records' East Side Classics series.
Article by Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
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In Memory of Ralfi Pagan
| What Really Happened To Ralfi Pagan? a Blog Posted by Angel Pagan, Brother of Ralfi Pagan http://ralfi-pagan.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-brothers-story.html |
I would like all of Ralfi's fans to know the truth,
exactly what happened to him. In the early 70's, Ralfi
met a businessman who wanted to get into the music
industry. He contracted with Ralfi and started
promoting him. Things went well for a while, but
business started to taper off, so the promoter decided
Ralfi should go on tour in Colombia to make money.
Ralfi flew to Colombia and was there for almost two
weeks. He wrote a letter to our mom, saying that
things weren't going according to plan. No one had
contacted him for gigs or interviews. On his own, he
arranged interviews at various radio stations there.
Finally, he was contacted by the promoter's agents.
They came to Ralfi's hotel and picked him up to go
perform. Instead, they took him to a beach, killed him
and left his body there. It was a setup.
exactly what happened to him. In the early 70's, Ralfi
met a businessman who wanted to get into the music
industry. He contracted with Ralfi and started
promoting him. Things went well for a while, but
business started to taper off, so the promoter decided
Ralfi should go on tour in Colombia to make money.
Ralfi flew to Colombia and was there for almost two
weeks. He wrote a letter to our mom, saying that
things weren't going according to plan. No one had
contacted him for gigs or interviews. On his own, he
arranged interviews at various radio stations there.
Finally, he was contacted by the promoter's agents.
They came to Ralfi's hotel and picked him up to go
perform. Instead, they took him to a beach, killed him
and left his body there. It was a setup.
Our family was devastated. Adding insult to injury, my sister, Isabel, read in the newspaper in
New York that Ralfi Pagan died in Colombia because of drugs. That got me really pissed off.
My brother, Ralfi, did not smoke pot. He didn't drink beer, he didn't drink liquor. He was just
high off his music. Occasionally, on special occasions, birthdays, holidays, he might have a
little glass of champagne, but that's it.
I just want everyone to know the way my brother passed away. It's very sad that a good man,
with a love of music, leaves this beautiful world, and a lot of people think he passed away
because of drugs. That couldn't be further from the truth. So for those who believe that, I
hope this clears it up for you. I want all of Ralfi's wonderful fans to know the truth. I have it
all documented, all the paperwork, what really happened to him....where, when and why, and
it was all about money.
Some day, these people will get theirs, through a higher power. Thank you, all you wonderful
fans. God bless. Qué Dios les bendiga!
New York that Ralfi Pagan died in Colombia because of drugs. That got me really pissed off.
My brother, Ralfi, did not smoke pot. He didn't drink beer, he didn't drink liquor. He was just
high off his music. Occasionally, on special occasions, birthdays, holidays, he might have a
little glass of champagne, but that's it.
I just want everyone to know the way my brother passed away. It's very sad that a good man,
with a love of music, leaves this beautiful world, and a lot of people think he passed away
because of drugs. That couldn't be further from the truth. So for those who believe that, I
hope this clears it up for you. I want all of Ralfi's wonderful fans to know the truth. I have it
all documented, all the paperwork, what really happened to him....where, when and why, and
it was all about money.
Some day, these people will get theirs, through a higher power. Thank you, all you wonderful
fans. God bless. Qué Dios les bendiga!