40 years of Rey Valera

It was back in 1976 when a gawky combo player named Rey Valera began to dream of singing stardom. Music was important to his family but nobody believed he could make a living out of being a musician. So Rey commuted daily from Bulacan to the Far Eastern University (FEU) to study. 

Unknown to his parents though, Rey was also visiting the offices of Vicor Music Corp. at the JLB Building in Quiapo because he wanted to meet Vicor’s big star Rico J. Puno. The young man had also noticed that people were listening to more Filipino songs than before and he could write songs. In fact, he had been writing songs for quite sometime in a quiet cemetery in Meycauayan. He earmarked one of them, titled Ako Si Superman for Rico J. 

“Six months yata ako na balik-balik sa Vicor.” Rey recalls, “Then they took me in as a house composer.” But to his disappointment, his song never made it to a Rico Puno album. Instead Rey was asked to record Ako Si Superman himself and sign a recording contract. 

It was a big surprise and a time for a major decision for the quiet, self-effacing Valera. But then in one of those unexplainable life-changing moments, he faced a mirror and told himself, “Pinauso na ni Rico ang pangit. If a face like Rico’s can make it, then I can make it, too.” And to the disappointment of his parents, it was also goodbye FEU.

It was not easy going for a newcomer in the music business. Competition was steep. Rey’s next single Naaalala Ka, all but disappeared in the wake of the onslaught of Freddie Aguilar’s Anak and Sharon Cuneta’s Mr. DJ. Ironically if he was having trouble getting his singing career off the ground, fate was making up for it by turning him into the hot young songwriter of the moment.

“It was a difficult assignment,” Rey recalls doing his composition for the future Megastar. “She was young, only 12 or 13.  Hindi pa pwede ang love song, so naisip ko gawin ko na lang na request song sa radyo.  Ganoon nuon, nakikinig ang mga bata sa radyo at nag-re-request ng kanta.”  The song became a tremendous launching pad for the career of Sharon and a most effective introduction for Valera as a songwriter.  Why, he even got to finally compose songs for his idol, Rico, Sorry, Puwede Ba and Daigdig Ng Alaala.

Rey believes that he owes his success as a songwriter to his ability to put himself in the shoes of other people. “Of course, feelings are important,” he continues, “pero nagagawa kong maramdaman ang feelings ng iba. I remember when I was asked to write Sharon’s next single, mahirap na namang assignment.  Nagawa ko ang Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko naisip ko kasi sa age ni Sharon naiisip na rin niya about love lasting forever or a long time. Ganoon din yung Pangako Ko Sa ‘yo for Geraldine.  I thought of a wedding at yon ang tinutugtog na kanta.”

It was the same case with the song that Rey feels very strongly about, Malayo Pa Ang Umaga. “Ginawa ko yun para sa bayan and I am very proud of it.” Rey was tapped to compose the theme of the country’s first miniseries on television. Set during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, it was titled Malayo Pa Ang Umaga and based on the first Filipino novel in English, Without Seeing The Dawn by Stevan Javellana.

Now, to Rey’s delight Naaalala Ka turned out to be simply a slow-burner and it was not long before his singing caught up with his songwriting and he became a big star. The hits came one after another.  Maging Sino Ka Man, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako, Sinasamba Kita, Walang Kapalit, Ayoko Na Sa ‘yo, Tayong Dalawa, Sa Kabila Ng Lahat and many others.

It was not all smooth going. There were times when Rey almost gave up the music. “I retired for a while when there was this fake Rey Valera who affected me very much. Saan na kaya siya but buti na rin nawala na siya sa eksena.” And there were other instances in his life. But then as though to balance things out something usually happens that will encourage him to keep doing his music.

Back in the ’90s, Sharon, then already the reigning Megastar, brought new highs to their careers by recording an album of Valera compositions for Viva and using the songs as themes for several films.  Just when he was thinking of retiring from performing, there came the offer from Viva to do a Hitmakers show with Rico, Hajji Alejandro and Nonoy Zuñiga. The show has now been on a continuous touring schedule here and abroad for nearly 20 years.

It has now been a wonderful, 40 years since he started his career. “I am very happy,” says Rey. “The money is good and I enjoy performing. Gaya ngayon I am looking forward to this show with Ogie and Louie. It will be about our songs and they are two composers I admire very much.”

The show is Kanta Ko, Panahon Mo and will be held at the Kia Theater at the Araneta Center on Dec.  2.  It will star Rey with Louie Ocampo and Ogie Alcasid and will focus on their works. It will surely be an enjoyable evening of beautiful songs and memories.