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At 84, El Niño de Trastalleres revisits the music that launched his career, fulfilling a longstanding dream of honoring Ismael Rivera.
Before Andy Montañez became one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved salsa singers, he was a young bolerista singing romantic songs accompanied by guitars. Long before his celebrated years with El Gran Combo and Dimensión Latina, bolero was his first musical love.
More than six decades later, at 84, Andy returns to that love with Boleros que cantó el Sonero Mayor, a tribute to the legendary Ismael Rivera, released on October 8, 2026.
And perhaps the most remarkable thing about this return is that, despite his age, Andy’s voice remains strong and beautiful, with the warmth and interpretive sensitivity that have distinguished his remarkable career.
A Bolerista Before Becoming a Sonero
Andy’s musical beginnings were quite different from the guarachas and salsa numbers that would eventually make him famous. He sang boleros with Luis Morales’s group and performed as the second voice of Trío Los Duendes before joining El Gran Combo in 1962.
His passion for bolero never disappeared. Andy has often acknowledged his preference for romantic music, even suggesting that he loves singing boleros more than salsa.
Throughout his career, he has returned to the genre on several occasions. In the 1990s, he recorded three bolero albums with fellow sonero Ismael Miranda. Later, he collaborated with Cuban singer-songwriter Pablo Milanés on AM/PM: Líneas paralelas and recorded Sueño: Canta a Fernando Álvarez, honoring the Cuban bolero singer whose interpretations he had admired since his youth.
His latest recording continues that tradition, but this time the inspiration comes from one of his greatest musical idols.
A Longstanding Dream of Honoring Maelo
Ismael Rivera was more than a fellow sonero to Andy Montañez. He was his favorite singer growing up, an artist he admired throughout his life and who encouraged him during his early musical years.
Although Maelo is best remembered for his extraordinary improvisations and incomparable rhythmic style, he was also an exceptional bolero interpreter.
For decades, Andy dreamed of recording the boleros that Rivera had popularized. With Boleros que cantó el Sonero Mayor, that dream has finally become a reality.
It is a fitting tribute from one great Puerto Rican sonero to another, connected not only by salsa but by their shared love of bolero.
Maelo’s Boleros with a Touch of Jazz
Rather than reproduce Rivera’s original interpretations, Andy takes a different musical approach.
Under the production and musical direction of bassist Ramón Vázquez, the ten selections are presented with tasteful jazz-influenced arrangements that give the songs a refreshing character while preserving their romantic essence.
The album opens with “Incomprendido,” the Bobby Capó classic that stands out as the only one of the three Capó songs on the album not originally recorded by Ismael Rivera as a bolero. Andy also teams up with Bobby’s daughter, Jacqueline Capó, for a duet on “Si Yo Pudiera.”
Andy’s voice is the centerpiece. At 84, he continues to sing with remarkable strength and feeling, giving these familiar boleros a beautiful touch of his own.
The recording also benefits from an outstanding group of guest singers, including iLe, Milly Quezada, Nayeli Selene, Jacqueline Capó, and the legendary Omara Portuondo. Their contributions enhance a thoughtfully conceived production.
Returning to Where It All Began
For Andy Montañez, this album represents more than another recording in an extraordinary career. It brings him back to the music he loved before becoming one of salsa’s most recognizable voices, while fulfilling his dream of honoring an artist who helped shape his musical identity.
After more than six decades of entertaining audiences, Andy still has the voice, the passion, and the desire to explore new musical possibilities.
And this time, he does so by returning to where his musical journey began: singing boleros.
