RJ Jacinto

Ramon "RJ" Jacinto
Jacinto performing at BGC, Taguig in April 2016 Jacinto performing at BGC, Taguig in April 2016
Background information
Birth name	Ramon Pereyra Jacinto
Also known as	The Main Man, Rock & Roll Icon
Born	(1945-06-03) June 3, 1945
Origin	Pasay, Manila, Philippines
Genres	Rock & Roll, Filipino Rock, Jazz, Original Pilipino Music, Pop
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar
Years active	1960–1972 1986–present
Labels	Viva/RJ Records, MCA Music, Warner Music Philippines
Website	www.rjplanet.com

Ramon Pereyra Jacinto (born June 3, 1945) is a Filipino musician, radio jockey, TV host and entrepreneur. He is more commonly referred to as RJ Jacinto. He is the founder and chairman of Philippines' rock-and-roll radio station DZRJ, and has been the proprietor of the Rajah Broadcasting Network since 1963.

Education

Jacinto attended the Ateneo de Manila University and graduated with honors in Economics. To further his studies, he took up law at the University of Sto. Tomas while working for his father's steel company, Iligan Integrated Steel Mills, Inc.

Career

Ramon Jacinto & The Riots (later RJ & the Riots) were, and apparently still are, from the Philippines.

As RJ’s music career advanced, so did his position in the steel industry. By the time Martial Law was declared in 1972, RJ was Senior Vice President of Iligan Steel Mills, which was the first to export steel coils and tinplates to Spain, Taiwan and Venezuela. Then Martial Law intervened and RJ and his family were forced to reside in the USA and it wasn’t until more than 14 years later that RJ returned to the Philippines. While in exile, RJ’s found an outlet in recording his own compositions which found their way back to the Philippines and aired from his radio station.

What followed was what RJ counts as his greatest achievement – during the EDSA Revolution, when Radyo Veritas was bombed by the government to prevent their broadcast, DZRJ broadcast as Radyo Bandido with June Keithly on board for 14 hours straight to relay information on troop movements, announce political deflections and call the people to go to EDSA to protect the rebel troops.

Radio and television

While manning his own radio station, Jacinto was also the Senior Vice-President for Purchasing of their family business, with 2,500 employees reporting to him. During the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, the Jacinto family's assets were forcibly seized and placed under military control and executives of the company were jailed with no charges filed. The sequestered assets included Jacinto's two radio stations. At that time, Jacinto was in the United States and opted to stay there in exile for 14 years to save himself from being jailed. During his exile, Jacinto recorded songs together with other Filipinos and secretly sent them to the Philippines for airplay. The songs "Muli" and "Don't Let Go" became hits but the composers and singers were not named in order to avoid military sanctions.

On March 5, 1986, Juan Ponce Enrile, who was then the Defense Minister, returned the radio stations and some of their family's steel mills to the Jacintos. DZRJ was finally transferred from military administration on June 1986 and Jacinto began to make DZRJ, the leader in retro wave by playing music from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

Bistro RJ

On July 25, 1986, Jacinto set up Bistro RJ, a rock and roll music lounge and restaurant which became famous for those who were into singing and dancing. At the time, live bands traveled abroad to make a living and the night circuit in Manila depended on piano bars and discos. Jacinto decided to hire live bands to provide financial opportunities as well as to revive the night life in the Philippines through live music. Bistro RJ renamed as The RJ Bar in 1991 in Arnaiz Ave. (formerly Pasay Rd.), but it was moved to Mandarin Oriental Manila Hotel in 1997, then it was moved again to Buendia Ave., and later in 2008 RJ Bar was renamed back to Bistro RJ again for a bigger venue. It was then moved to Dusit Hotel Manila. It became the home of rock and roll in the country, featuring live bands 7 days a week.

RJ Guitars

Jacinto developed an interest in music and he was particularly inclined to the guitar. RJ Guitars Store was launched in 1987 or 1988 in Glorietta Mall (formerly Quad Mall), Makati City. While performing in his bistro, Jacinto felt exasperated about switching between a Fender Jazzmaster and a Gibson Les Paul. He decided to approach Rudy Discipulo to make a guitar versatile enough to produce all the sounds he needed. Impressed by Discipulo's workmanship, Jacinto embarked on putting up a guitar manufacturing business. At present, there are 10 RJ Guitar Centers in the Philippines, providing RJ Guitar models and distributing Taylor guitars and Belcat products from abroad.

RJ Academy of Music

The RJ Academy of music was started in 1994 as RJ Guitar Center became the licensee of the Music Institute of Los Angeles, California.

Discography

Main article: Ramon Jacinto discography

Studio albums

• 1961: The Teenage Touch
• 1964: RJ & the Riots
• 1987: Back from Exile
• 1990: The Guitarman
• 1991: Giliw
• 1992: The Guitarman II
• 1992: Compact Series
• 1999: The Ultimate RJ Bistro Collection Vol. 1
• 2000: The Ultimate RJ Bistro Collection Vol. 2
• 2012: RJ Duets
• 2014: Fine as Wine Instrumentals
• 2015: RJ Orig
• 2016: Swinging the Kundiman

Christmas albums

• 1988: Pasko Na Naman
• 1990: Christmas with RJ
• 1994: Pasko Na Naman (Repackaged)
• 2015: Super Vintage Christmas Guitar Instrumentals

Compilations and other albums

• 1991: RJ Best of Original Hits
• 2005: The Very Best of RJ
• 2005: Rock & Roll Classics
• 2006: Muli

References

External links

• "Philippine radio's top innovators honored." Inquirer, 1 January 2000
• "Who's Who of the Philippines". Philippine Tatler. 2009.
• Biography at Rjplanet.com
• "One iconic night with Ramon ‘RJ’ Jacinto and the sultans of Pinoy Rock." Inquirer, 7 June 2015