ArtistInfo

Juan Serrano

NL
Latin, World and Folk
A.k.a. Juan Miguel Vlijt

Born On the Island Of Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles. From the liner notes of Call Of The Caribbean: In those islands which have the Caribbean Sea as their setting it's nothing unusual for at least one member of the family to be expert on at least one musical instrument. There the children grow up in an environment in which music plays an important part — almost on a par with the normal everyday functions of living, eating and drinking. In such a family grew up one Juan Miguel Vlijt, who was born on the island of Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles in 1921. Early on in life he became a skilled guitar-player and as a youngster he was already in demand both as instrumentalist and vocalist with local orchestras, large and small. The natural outcome of this musical hobby was that Juan formed his own group. Achieving local fame as an amateur musician was only the beginning and he could not rest content that his playing and earning as a musician had to be confined to the week-ends. So Juan packed his bags and his guitar and came to Holland soon making contact with some fellow Arubians who had already settled in Amsterdam. Taking the professional name of Serrano it was not long before his playing and singing attracted enthusiastic attention over the radio, and in the cabarets and bars where he performed. Juan's ambition of becoming a full-time musician was soon achieved but, strange to relate, he found that the life did not agree with him. Therefore he had to resolve that music would be his hobby, his one and only, his exclusive hobby. With his Caribbean Combo this versatile artist has, in a very short time, become a top star of Philips records. His choice of songs is far ranging from Spain and Latin America — and while nobody would pretend this voice of his is a refined one, Serrano's appeal — and his success — derives from the natural delivery and the astonishing power of expression one come to expect from an artist born under the rays of the sun.

Genres

• Latin
• World
• Folk
• Pop

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