SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star
March 16, 2024 | 12:00am
Ernie de la Peña was known in the music industry. He was one of the country’s top lyricists and producers. He was also an excellent vocal coach. He was literally a music factory. He wrote the lyrics to Rico J. Puno’s Kapalaran and Leah Navarro’s Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito. Ernie also contributed to Didith Reyes’ Araw-Araw Gabi-Gabi. He was available for everybody, unknown newcomers then like Sharon Cuneta, Mahal Kita Mahal Mo Siya Mahal Niya ay Iba and Bibeth Orteza, Ang Pangarap Kong Asawa, legends like Sylvia La Torre, Huwag Kang Sumingit and Bobby Gonzales, Salidummay.
Singer and songwriter Ernie de la Peña was that rare kind of music worker. He composed and sang from the heart, but he was also aware of the prevailing demands of the music market. That was why producers enjoyed working with him. He gave them what they needed at the right time.
Everybody looked up to De la Peña or Mang Ernie, as he was known in the music industry. He was one of the country’s top lyricists and producers. He was also an excellent vocal coach. He was literally a music factory.
His output for Rico J. Puno was a fine example of his kind of practical genius. There was a need for that all-important second single for Rico, he wrote the lyrics to Kapalaran. They needed a competition song for Rico, he came up with Lupa. He also did Ang Tao’y Marupok, Bawal Na Pag-ibig, Ganyan Pala ang Magmahal and others.
Didith Reyes was venturing into her solo career and needed a song. Willy Cruz had a melody for a movie he was scoring. Mang Ernie finished the job with Araw-Araw Gabi-Gabi. Leah Navarro was heartbroken, so her producers thought a hit song might help ease her pain. So, Mang Ernie wrote Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito. And Leah got her hit.
Back then when it was the custom of local producers to come up with Tagalog versions of current hits, Mang Ernie was the go-to guy. He was the one who turned Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy into Kawawang Cowboy for Fred Panopio. That was also how I Know I Need to be in Love by The Carpenters became Dahil Sa Aking Pangarap for Nora Aunor.
Mang Ernie was also a singer. He was a veteran of fiesta entablados all over the country and made very good demos of original compositions. He recorded several albums as the tenor of the Filipinas Singers.
He also found huge success and his only brush with notoriety as half of the Ermar Duet. The other half was Mar Lopez. Their song Pinagbigyan and the album of the same title broke record sales back in the early ‘70s.
Aside from the songwriting and the singing, Mang Ernie was also the most reliable and most hardworking producer and vocal coach at the studio. He knew the correct inflection of a syllable on a note a hundred percent of the time. He was also patient and level-headed with the demands, tantrums of the assorted divas and divos he had to work with.
He steered the twisted Spanish cum Cebuano tongue of Pilita Corrales into straight Tagalog for Philippine Love Songs and brought her music glory. He put aspiring singer Victor Wood through every note of his recordings like I’m Sorry My Love and he became the jukebox king.
He was available for everybody, unknown newcomers then like Sharon Cuneta, Mahal Kita Mahal Mo Siya Mahal Niya ay Iba and Bibeth Orteza, Ang Pangarap Kong Asawa, legends like Sylvia La Torre, Huwag Kang Sumingit and Bobby Gonzales, Salidummay.
Even disco bands like VST&Co. came under Mang Ernie’s radar, “Tayo’y magsayawan, sumabay sa takbo ng tugtugan…” And talk about writing lyrics for a historical event, Magkaisa by Virna Lisa with music by Tito Sotto has words by Ernie de la Peña. “Magkaisa at mag-sama, kapit-kamay...”
Although he had retired from his job as producer and artist and repertoire manager at Vicor Music Corporation, Mang Ernie remained active in the business. He accepted writing assignments, guestings in various shows, judging music contests and other gigs.
Last March 12, Mang Ernie breathed his last after a long age-related illness. He was 92 years old. His was a life well-lived and original Filipino pop music owes him a debt that can never be repaid.
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