Dioris Valladares Way (Manhattan)
Present name:None
Location:At the intersection of St. Nicholas Avenue and 165th Street
Honoree:  Dioris Valladares (1916-2001) was a famous Merengue singer, bandleader, composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist who made several hit records for Arsonia Records in the 1950s and ‘60s. He sailed from Ciudad Trujillo to New York 1936 and lived in East Harlem. In 1939, he began touring the United States with various bands. His recording debut occurred in 1941 with Alberto Iznaga and His Orchestra Siboney. Durng World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served until November 1945. He rose to prominence in New York City around 1950 singing merengues and playing the güira with bandleader Juanito Sanabria in the Club Caborrojeño on the corner of Broadway and 145th St. In fact, the three merengue arrangements in particular, “La Cuchacha,” “Canto de Hacha,” and “La Amanca,” were asked for sometimes multiple times a night at Club Caborrojeño. His nightclub success caught the attention of Ansonia Records boss Rafael Perez who assembled the seven-piece Conjunto Tipico Cibaeño with Angel Viloria playing accordion and directing the band. Together, Valladares and Viloria recorded three classic merengue albums. After the band split up, they both continued on to have successful solo careers. Dioris Valladares formed his own orchestra in 1953 and had a residency at the Gloria Palace, on 86th Street and Third Avenue. In the early 1960s Dioris signed with Alegre records, recording two solo albums, and was a member of the Alegre All Stars. (Rodriguez)
LL:2020/26