La Sonora Ponceña is a Puerto Rican salsa band, founded in 1954 by Enrique … Read Full Bio ↴La Sonora Ponceña is a Puerto Rican salsa band, founded in 1954 by Enrique "Quique" Lucca Caraballo. Today Quique's son, Papo Lucca, directs the band. The band has stayed active for a remarkable amount of time, recording dozens of albums, including a 55th anniversary album. Singers included Tito Gómez, Luigi Texidor, and Yolanda Rivera.

The history of La Sonora Ponceña is the history of Quique Lucca, (Yauco, Puerto Rico, 12 December 1912 - 9 October 2016). In 1928, when he was 16 years old, his family moves to Ponce, Puerto Rico and Quique starts to work as an auto mechanic and starts playing the guitar. In 1932 Quique meets Angélica Quiñones, the future mother of his children, Zulma, Papo y Wanda. In 1944 Quique puts together a band called "El Conjunto Internacional", including three instrumentalists: tumbadora, bongó, vocalist and Quique Lucca at the guitar and second voice. Later, Antonio "Tato" Santaella joined, playing the bongó. On 10 April 1946, Enrique Lucca Jr. ("Papo") was born; he would later become the musical director of "La Sonora". In fact, in 1951, Papo surprised his father and the other members of the "Internacional" band when, at only 5 years old, he joined a band practice and started playing the tumbadora on Tito Puente's "Ran Kan Kan".

After the band had been inactive for a year, Quique re-established it in 1954 and renamed it "Conjunto Sonora Ponceña". His childhood friend Antonio "Tato" Santaella played bajo de cajón. On 20 April of that year the band plays at its first official dance. In 1956, Vicentivo Morales, joins the band as its first pianist. Later that year, Quique brings young Papo into the band as a pianist. In November 1957, Papo makes its official debut during a dance on the northern shore of the Island. In 1958, La Sonora Ponceña records its first 78 RPM with Avelino Muñoz as pianist. The 78 RPM contained No puede Ser on one side and Tan Linda que Era on the reverse side. Towards the end of 1958, the band goes into recording mode and includes 12-year-old Papo Lucca. The band included its first official vocalist Charlie Martínez. Later on, vocalists Felipe and Davilita would also record bolero-mambo themes such as Noche de Locura. In September 1960, the group played in New York. The group's main attraction was its 12-year-old pianist, Papo Lucca. In 1968 the group started its official recordings on 33 RPM with the song Hacheros Pa' Un Palo.

In 1974, singer Humberto "Tito" Gómez leaves the band after 7 years and 6 recordings. Together with Joe Rodríguez and Mickey Ortíz, Humberto "Tito" Gómez formed La Terrífica. Likewise, in 1977 Edgardo Morales, who played the timbal leaves the band after 7 years and 7 recordings and joins El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. In 1978 singer Luis Guillermo "Luigui" Texidor leves the band after 10 years and 10 recordings to join Bobby Valentín's Orchestra. In 1982 trumpetist Humberto Godineaux leaves the band after 4 years a 6 recordings. Singer Yolanda Rivera also left the band after 7 years and 8 recordings. In 1985, singer Miguel Ortíz retires from the band after 11 years and 12 recordings. On 28 May 1986, the band losses singer Alberto "Toñito" Ledée in a car accident. In 1987, trumpetist Heriberto "Ayatollah" Santiago also retires having 7 years and 5 recordings to his credit. In July 1989, long-time bass player Antonio "Tato" Santaella retired after 21 recordings. Tato played without ever using any musical scores, and singing entirely "by ear". A year later, in 1990, another bass player Efraín "Frao" Hernández retired from the band after 10 years and 7 recordings. In 1990, bongó player Angel Hernández also retired after 14 years and 13 recordings. In 1991, tumbadora player Vicente "Pequeño Johnny" Rivera retires after 16 years with the band. He had performed on 15 of the band's recordings. In 1993, long-time trumpeter Ramón "Tony El Cordovés" Rodríguez retired after 24 recordings. This was followed by the retirement of trumpeter Freddie Del Valle, who had played with the band for 6 years and had participated in 5 recordings.

In 1993, the band played at the Magno Orchestra Festival in Barranquilla, Colombia. The band was awarded the “Congo de Oro” award, given to the best international band. And in October 1994, Sonora Ponceña celebrated its 40th anniversary with a festival at Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The band would later also play at the Madison Square Garden to bring its celebration to the United States. In 1995, the band did a reunion recording with Luis Guillermo "Luigi" Texidor and Yolanda Rivera who had retired 19 and 14 years earlier, respectively. That same year, they sang in Paris, France, and at the Desfile de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Parade) in Zaragoza, Spain. In 1996 the band plays for the first time in Mexico at the Boca del Río, Veracruz, Mexico, carnival.

In 2000, Sonora Ponceña celebrated its 45th anniversary at the Tito Puente Amphitheater at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico and at the Teatro La Perla in Ponce. They also played in Caracas, Venezuela as part of this 45th anniversary celebration. In the years following 2000, La Sonora Ponceña participated in a large number of events throughout Puerto Rico, including Fiestas Patronales, private parties, graduation parties, and corporate Christmas and holiday parties. In the following years, the band also made presentations in Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Washington, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Jersey, Panamá, Perú, England, Switzerland and Italy.

For its 50th year anniversary (2004), the band played at Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The 12,000 spectators made the show a complete sellout on its presentation day, February 21. The show was broadcast via radio and television.

During its 50th anniversaery show at Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, the band was officially recognized by the Legislature of Puerto Rico for its musical contributions.
The 23rd “Día Nacional de la Salsa”, celebrated in Carolina, Puerto Rico on 16 March 2004, was dedicated to Don Quique, Papo and la Sonora Ponceña.
In Ponce there is a street, in Urb. Estancias del Golf, named after Quique Lucca.
The 2003 "Feria de Turismo", celebrated at Complejo Turístico “La Guancha” in Ponce was dedicated to Don Quique, Papo and la Sonora Ponceña.

El Amor
Sonora Ponceña Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

El amor ofrece muchas sorpresas
El amor es grande cuando se entrega
Si eres tu la llama que a mi me quema
Te aseguro te are feliz, serás mi dueña

Porque tu y solo tu eres mi amor
Y contigo quiero yo compartir mi vida
Porque tu y solo tu eres mi vida

Porque tu y solo tu eres mi amor

Porque tú y solo tu eres mi amor
Y contigo quiero yo compartir mi vida
En las cosas del amor existen cosas sencillas
Que decirle al corazón bellas palabras finas

Porque tu y solo tu eres mi amor
Y contigo quiero yo compartir mi vida

Porque tu y solamente tu eres mi vida
Porque tu y solo tu eres mi amor

Y tu solo tu solo tu
Eres mi amor, eres la dueña de mi corazón
Contigo me siento feliz

Y tu solo tu solo tu
Eres mi amor, calla corazón no digas nada

Y tu solo tu solo tu
Eres mi amor, eres mi amor
Eres mi adoración

Eres mi amor
En mi renació la esperanza
En ti conocí el amor
Que es lo que pasa
Que te estoy queriendo tanto
Tuyo es mi amor
Tuyo es mi corazón
Lo voy gritando

Por las calles
Lo mucho que te quiero

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sonora Ponceña's song El Amor speak of the power and surprises that comes with love. The song is a declaration of love to the person who sets one's heart on fire. The lyrics mention that if the person listening is the one, then they will be made happy and become the owner of the singer's heart. The song emphasizes the idea that love is what gives life meaning and that it is something that should be shared with someone special.

Throughout the song, the singer reiterates the notion that there is no other person but the person listening that can fulfill their love. The singer's love is so strong that it has given them a new hope for life. The song encourages people to share their feelings with their loved ones and not to hold back. The song is a reminder of how important it is to let love lead the way.

Line by Line Meaning

El amor ofrece muchas sorpresas
Love offers many surprises

El amor es grande cuando se entrega
Love is great when given

Si eres tu la llama que a mi me quema
If you are the flame that burns me

Te aseguro te are feliz, serás mi dueña
I assure you, you will be happy, you will be my owner

Porque tu y solo tu eres mi amor
Because you and only you are my love

Y contigo quiero yo compartir mi vida
And with you, I want to share my life

Porque tú y solo tu eres mi vida
Because you and only you are my life

En las cosas del amor existen cosas sencillas
In matters of love, there are simple things

Que decirle al corazón bellas palabras finas
To tell the heart beautiful words

Y tu solo tu solo tu
And you, only you

Eres mi amor, eres la dueña de mi corazón
You are my love, you are the owner of my heart