Biography:

Boris Leonardo González Reyes ( Conchalí , Santiago , November 3 , 1952 – Santiago , August 21 , 2022 ), ¹ better known as Zalo Reyes , ^2 3 was a Chilean singer-songwriter , nicknamed the ” Sparrow of Conchalí “. Recognized for his interpretation of the song ” Un ramito de violetas “, ^4 ​5​ Reyes was considered one of the most shocking success phenomena of theChilean popular culture , with more than 50 years of musical career. ^{5 ​6 ​7} ​8

Boris Leonardo González Reyes (real name of Zalo Reyes) was born on November 3, 1952 in the Conchalí commune, in the capital of Santiago, Chile. He was the son of a taxi driver and was the youngest of four brothers in a family from this commune. ⁹ In 1967, Boris debuted as a singer, when he won the festival of the Centro de Madres Monterrey in his commune. 10

When he was doing his military service in the Navy , there was another cadet González, for which he was nicknamed “Gonzalito” which later became “Zalito” and then “Zalo” when he chose his artistic cover letter. He wanted his pen name to sound Central American and with a popular air. 2

Music career

With a repertoire of songs by the well-remembered singer and actor Lucho Gatica , he performed in different restaurants, tents, recreation areas and parade grounds that began to know his musical proposal. Together with the Espiral group, he recorded his first record hit: “Una lágrima y un recuerdo” (cover of the Mexican group Miramar), a single that sold 80,000 copies, included in his first eponymous LP . Later, he participated in several television programs such as Troncal Negrete and Festival de la una de Televisión Nacional de Chile . In 1979 he triumphed with the song “A tear in the throat.” 11

In 1983 he was invited to the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in its XXIV version . ² After his festival triumph, he traveled to Mexico to make effective the invitation made by the Mexican presenter Raúl Velasco . He toured the Aztec country, where he took the opportunity to present “Motivo y razón”. In 1985, his popularity reached its highest points when the renowned television presenter Don Francisco invited him to animate the space “This is my neighborhood”, one of the sections of the well-remembered variety program Sábados Gigantes . That same year he recorded the LP Amor sin trapas . ¹²In 1986 he appeared with his own program on the occasion of the World Soccer Championship , in addition to the Humor de Reyes space , on Channel 13 . 12

In 1987 the LP El rey de tus sueños achieved the coveted platinum record , allowing him to go on an extensive national tour. Then he had his own space in the co-animation at the Festival de la una , in the “Now or never” section, with two weekly appearances. As a corollary, at the end of the 1980s, he appeared first as a panelist and later as host of the Cordialmente program on Channel 11 .

In 1991 he presented the LP Dolor de amor , which included the single “Maybe”. Produced by Alejandro Lyon and a video directed by Eduardo Domínguez, Zalo tried to build his niche in an increasingly globalized and diverse medium.

In 2018, as a way of recognizing his career, the Municipality of Conchalí and its municipal council approved the change of name of the “Pasaje Cañete Interior” (place where the artist lived) to “Pasaje Zalo Reyes”. 13

Last years and death

Since 2008, he had suffered from diabetes , for which he even suffered the amputation of part of one of his feet, as a result of an injury. ^9 14 On August 9, 2022, he suffered a severe diabetic decompensation, which led him to be admitted to the intensive care unit of the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile . ^15 ​16​ On the 4th of the same month, he had suffered a similar decompensation. ¹⁶ Despite having evolved positively and having been discharged on August 13, ^17 18He died at his home on August 21, while he was sleeping, as reported by his family through the artist’s social networks. ¹ As reported by his son to the media, his father suffered from pancreatic cancer of which they were unaware. ¹⁹ ​20

The Chilean Society of Musical Authors and Performers , together with several Chilean musicians and singers such as María José Quintanilla , Luis Jara , Denisse Malebrán , Leo Rey , Américo and the Colo-Colo soccer club (of which he was a fan) expressed their condolences as a result of his departure through social networks. 21

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