What sets Filipino singer Marco Sison apart from the rest of his contemporaries? What made him survive the stiff competition against new singers post his generation? What could have been his well-kept secret to stay young and keep his unmatched masculine virility?
The prevailing questions always fail to gather sufficient and concrete answers. Whispers that he might have sought surgical procedures to defy the aging process remained unfounded. The suave and swarthy singer kept mum about it and remained unfazed by the circulating rumor.
It could be recalled that Marco Sison’s moniker started to emit luster after he grabbed the canteener championship title of Student Canteen, a long running noontime variety show in the 60s until the early 80s. Aptly armed with 14 solid weeks of undefeated wins and a sheer determination to succeed, his victory was easily foretold. The 1978 amateur singing champion of Student Canteen, which was hosted by Leila Benitez, Bobby Ledesma, and Eddie Ilarde, Marco Sison had all the qualities of a potential topnotch balladeer. At 21, promising, and good looking, professionally embarking on a singing career was a surefire decision.
From there, his singing career successfully took the right track and maintained an enviable spot in the entertainment arena for a long time, longer than most of his colleagues.
What is more impressive about Marco is his ability to render plaintive kundiman and Tagalog songs without sacrificing the quality and style of his voice. Whether in English or Tagalog, that distinct Marco Sison brand of musicality still remains noticeable.
Born Raul Marco Sison on July 10, 1957 (that makes him 56 now) in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, the singer had exhibited an inclination to music even during his early childhood days. His constant public exposure, from classroom programs to small-time town fiesta amateur singing contests, to huge events, gave him the necessary tools and experiences that made him develop confidence and a personality fit for a strong stage presence.
A classic balladeer with a resonant baritone voice, Marco croons soothingly and offers easy listening pleasure to audiences. Marco’s string of hits readily assured him of a steadfast hold on the topsy turvy world of show business and gave him the opportunity to be billed as one of Tin Pan Alley’s top-selling recording stars.
Incidentally, his hit songs, “My Love Will See Me Through” and “Make Believe,” enjoyed remarkable supremacy on the air lanes and are currently considered two of the most in-demand selections in karaoke bars. These could be incredibly at par with Frank Sinatra and Matt Monroe’s “My Way.”
Interestingly, his single, “Si Aida, Si Lorna, o Si Fe,” enabled him to swing to the beat of flirtatious tempo with relatable lyrics. Because of its bouncy beat and infectious rhythm, fashion show director Boy Saulog chose it as the background music in one of the portions of Body Shot Year IV (1989) when I was the national chairman.
The Marco Sison brand of music has consistently lingered through decades and scores of undiminished popularity. Melodious, enticing, and timeless, his songs, whether rendered live, or played over the radio receive unprecedented acceptance even from among young music aficionados who find his romantic ditties worth-listening.
In the entire duration of his singing career that spans close to four decades, Marco has recorded and released seven albums: Best of Marco Sison (with 8 cuts) in 1991, After All These Years (with 10 cuts) in 1992, Memories (with 12 cuts) in 1999, Maghihintay Na Lamang (with 12 cuts) in 2000, the Best of Marco Sison 2 (with with 12 cuts) in 2004, Hindi Ko Akalain (with 10 cuts) in 2010, and Isang Pagkakataon (self-produced, self-released with 5 cuts,) in 2012.
When free from personal commitments and other assignments, Marco joins fellow OPM recording artists Rico J. Puno, Rey Valera, Hadji Alejandro, and Nonoy Zuñiga and formed a group collectively tagged The Greatest Hitmakers. The collaborative efforts paid off. The group has successfully performed series of personal appearances and shows entertaining home-sick fans overseas.
With success comes intrigues and Marco wasn’t at all spared from it. Although there could be truth to a few circulating rumors, Marco merely stayed locked in his cocoon and did not come out to give a litany of reasons and excuses just to free himself from the bondage of, as he said, false accusations.
“It’s just a matter of properly handling every situation and I merely kept silent about any issue,” the bedimpled singer quipped. He added, “The more one tries to justify every accusation, the matter turns much worse. I’d rather stay away from it while I kept my cool, knowing that the “heat” will subside in time and people forget.”
After visiting the tri-state area in recent years, ERJ Production and VYNZNY Entertainment, two of the most reliable event producers this side of the eastern seaboard, joined forces and now proudly bring Marco Sison back to New York and New Jersey following the insistent clamor of his avid fans and dedicated supporters.
Together with equally tested performer Dennis Sy and fast-rising Filharmonic Band, Marco is slated to croon his way anew into his fans’ hearts with his immortal ditties and electrifying stage presence.
Billed “One Night Only,” the show promises a wide array of songs from Marco’s repertoire to be presented in two separate venues: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Veterans Of Foreign Wars (VFW) Hall along 575 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, New Jersey, 08872.
On Saturday, November 2, at 8:00 PM the second show will be mounted on the entertainment stage of Payag Asian Fusion Cuisine along 51-34 Roosevelt Avenue, Woodside, New York 11317. Sponsored by Fiesta in America and RDR Express Cargo Services, Marco Sison’s One Night Only admission tickets are reasonably priced at $50.00 only. To avail of specially reserved seats, to sponsor, or for more detailed information, please call Ditas at 973-641-5665 or Vinz at 347-705-2967.
Charice, once more with feeling, at OctoberFesta
Together with The Voice Season 2 finalist, Cheesa, one time YouTube wonder girl Charice is set to grace New York once more. This time, she will bring her much publicized renewed persona but with the same incredible singing prowess that the world admired.
One thing is certain though, Charice is at her best this time since she’s all out and real without any qualm of trying to pretend what she’s not. Yes, her inevitable coming out is one bitter pill to swallow but such sweet freedom to enjoy. There will neither be any discrete nuances nor false facade since she has assured her audience that what they’ll see and hear is the real Charice performing to the best she could.
Indefatigable social event organizer Nanding Mendez, President and CEO of Special Edition Press, producer of the annual Philippine Fiesta in America (now dubbed Fiesta in America) tries to build bridges to fill the gap among all ethnicities via OktoberFesta, a celebration of life and brotherhood among men. This is an an effort to bring to the fore the grandiose spirit and unprecedented excitement that the original Oktoberfest brings,
OktoberFesta invites you to an afternoon of fun, dancing, lavish buffet, a complimentary beer and loads of entertainment on Sunday, October 20 at 1:00 PM at the Astoria World manor along 26-22 Astoria Boulevard, Astoria, New York, 11102.
Incidentally, Sunday’s OktoberFesta celebration also coincides with the birthday celebration of its producer Nanding Mendez and that makes the occasion doubly fun-filled and exciting.
General admission is at $75 while VIP seating is at $95. For ticket reservation and more information, please email: [email protected] or call 212- 682-6610.
For comments and suggestions, please email: [email protected]
