Here’s the biography of Freddie Aguilar, an icon in the PH music industry.
FREDDIE AGUILAR BIOGRAPHY – The life and music of the Filipino singer-songwriter, a folk music legend in the music industry.
Filipino folk icon Freddie Aguilar died at the age of 72 in the wee hours of May 27 from cardiac arrest arising from kidney complications and pneumonia. Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) general counsel’s lawyer George Briones confirmed the untimely death of the legendary OPM singer.
Remembering the Filipino music legend
He was born Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar in Santo Tomas, Isabela. As young as the age of 14, he began composing songs. He pursued Electrical Engineering at De Guzman Institute of Technology; however, at 18, he dropped out to answer the call of his passion for music.
He had this style of Western artists like Cat Stevens and James Taylor when he performed in clubs and bars, and it blended well with Filipino folk traditions.
His most successful song, “Anak,” was produced in 1978. It narrates the unconditional love of parents and their regrets for their wayward child. It was written based on his own experiences.
It sold 3 million copies worldwide and was translated into 51 languages. Familial love is a language spoken across different races in the world, hence, it became the best-selling Philippine music record of all time.
In his career that spanned more than four decades, he had released 40 albums and received numerous accolades. Apart from “Anak,” some of his songs also tackled social injustices and national identity. His rendition of “Bayan Ko,” became an anthem during the 1986 People Power Revolution against the Marcos regime.
Some of his songs that underscore issues of oppression and call for unity among Filipinos are “Katarungan,” “Pangako,” and “Luzviminda.”
In 1978, he married Josephine Queipo. They have four children: Maegan, Jonan, Isabella, and Jeriko. Their marriage, however, did not work out. In 2013, he confirmed his relationship with 16-year-old Jovi Gatdula Albao. It sparked controversy due to the age difference and his lover being a minor at that time.
In chronological order, his singles are:
- 1976 “Alaala”
- 1978 “Anak”
- 1978 “Bayan Ko”
- 1980 “Pulubi”
- 1980 “Bulag, Pipi at Bingi”
- 1981 “Ang Buhay Nga Naman Ng Tao”
- 1983 “Magdalena”
- 1983 “Mindanao”
- 1984 “Pinoy”
- 1985 “Mga Bata Sa Negros”
- 1985 “Ipaglalaban Ko”
- 1986 “Katarungan”
- 1987 “‘Di Ka Nag-iisa”
- 1988 “Estudyante Blues”
- 1989 “Luzviminda”
- 1989 “Pangako”
- 1993 “Minamahal Kita”
- 1994 “Kumusta Ka”
- 1994 “Pasko Ang Damdamin”
- 1994 “Sa Paskong Darating”
- 1994 “Himig Pasko”
- 1994 “Diwa Ng Pasko”
- 1994 “Pasko Na Naman Kaibigan”
- 1994 “Mga Pilipino Kong Mahal”
- 1994 “Ang Bansa Kong Maligaya”
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