Jorge Antonio Oñate González (31 March 1949 – 28 February 2021) was a Colombian singer and composer, one of the most renowned of the vallenato musical genre. As of 2004 and since the beginning of his career in 1968 he had achieved 25 gold discs, 7 platinum discs and 6 double platinum for his sales, among other numerous musical accomplishments. He had also successfully entered politics as councilor of his hometown, while deputising for Alfredo Cuello Dávila, representing the department of Cesar.

Biography

Early years

Oñate grew up in the small town of La Paz close to Valledupar where he studied until graduating from high school, he was known for having a great aptitude for singing vallenatos. He was also a football player.

Career

In 1968 after High School, Oñate was hired by a local vallenato group called "Los Guatapuri" as the lead singer and officially started his career as vallenato singer. The group released an album titled Festival Vallenato. In 1969, he teamed up with the already locally famous Hermanos Lopez vallenato group once again as lead singer, releasing the album Lo Último en Vallenatos!. In 1970 Oñate released his second album with the Hermanos Lopez titled Diosa Divina while he also recorded an album with accordion player Nelson Diaz, titled Conmigo es el Baile. In 1971 Oñate and Hermanos Lopez recorded the album El Jardincito. In 1972 they released the album Reyes Vallenatos. In 1973 the album El Cantor de Fonseca was released while Las Bodas de Plata appeared in the same year. In 1974 they recorded another two albums, the first one Fuera de Concurso. The second one was named Rosa Jardinera. Oñate more lately performed with one of the youngest accordionists in Colombia, Christian Camilo Peña - only 21 years old, he has already achieved a crown of king in the Vallenato Legend Festival celebrated every year in Valledupar. They recorded three albums together: Seguire Triunfando (2004), Vivo Cantando (2005) and Mi Mejor Regalo (2006). In 2010, Oñate was presented with the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Recording Academy in 2010.

Personal life

Oñate was son of Daniel Gonzalez and Delfina Oñate and was the youngest of three siblings. He married Nancy Zuleta and had three children with her; Jorge Luis, Delfina Ines and Jorge Daniel. He also had another son (also named Jorge) from an extramarital relationship with a woman named Claudia Dangond. Oñate died of complications related to COVID-19 on 28 February 2021, one month short of his 72nd birthday, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia.

Discography