THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994 TAG: 9406240093
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MICHELLE MIZAL, TEEN CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940624 LENGTH: Medium
``Hey, it's on, Gary,'' says his manager and sister, Gina Martinez. ``This is the rerun of his appearance on the 700 Club that he did earlier today.''
{REST} ``Excuse me, I'll get a drink,'' says Valenciano, 29. He leaves the room.
``He left because he's on TV,'' whispered his sister. ``He's shy. He's always like that, he'll get up and leave with anyone in the room if he's on TV.''
Valenciano's humble Clark Kent personality is hardly like his stage persona. Said to be a ``total performer'' by his fans in his native Philippines, Valenciano is a superman when it comes to his career as a singer, composer, dancer, arranger, choreographer, lyricist and producer. Valenciano will end his three-city U.S. tour tonight at 7:30 at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall.
His ``Shout for Joy'' concert is a combination of pop and gospel music, in both English and Tagalog. ``I want to give a message that people can take home,'' said the half-Puerto Rican/half-Filipino performer, ``that's why I try to sing one or two songs that share my relationship with the Lord.''
Born in Manila, the sixth of seven children, Valenciano had no intention of becoming a performer. ``I wanted to be the regular things, like an architect,'' he said.
After his parents' separation in 1979 and a year with his mother in Orlando, Fla., Valenciano returned to Manila and attended La Salle High School. There he joined the singing group Kundirana - a combination of two Tagalog words, ``kundiam and harana,'' meaning folk songs and guitar serenading.
Of the 22 high school students in the group, Valenciano was the favored soloist. ``It just so happened that the songs we sang fit my voice,'' he said.
Valenciano soon received offers to perform on local TV shows. ``One day, Kuh Ledesma, the queen of concerts, walked up to me and asked me to be a guest at her next concert, and at that time it was obvious to all of us that this is the path I was going to take.''
He had his first big hit in '85 with a song titled ``Di Na Natuto'' meaning ``never learned.'' The song stayed on the charts for seven months. Valenciano knew his career had taken off.
His latest album is called ``Hataw Na'' (``Go for It''). The album calls for ``people to excel in doing what is right and good to others.''
Valenciano said he doesn't know how to categorize his music, but he spends his spare time experimenting with his congas and keyboard trying to find new styles of music. ``Up to now I still don't know the names of chords and notes,'' he said, ``I play everything by ear.''
In 1989 Valenciano launched his acting career with a lead role in the movie ``Kung Tapos Na Ang Kailanman.'' The title of the love story translates roughly to ``till the end of time.''
His most recent movie is ``Kaputol Ng Isang Awit'' (``Piece of a Song''), and when he returns to the Philippines, he will be working on another movie ``Babalik Karin'' (``You Will Return'').
In the near future, Valenciano plans to hit the American market with the release of an album here - no promises though.
On top of his busy performing schedule, Valenciano works with the Shining Light Foundation in Manila, which undertakes projects such as assisting refugees from the Pinatubo eruption and helping needy children.
Valenciano is married to Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, president of Manila Genesis & Management Inc. (his sponsoring company). He has three children, Paolo, 9, Gabriel, 6, and Kiana, 1.
by CNB