Julio Manuel Acevedo Lanuza, (December 23, 1945 – July 6, 2015) better known as Julio Angel, was a Puerto Rican trio, bolero, rock and pop singer.
later, formed a band which he and his friends named "Julito and the Latin Lads".During the 1960s, Julio Angel made his television debut at Puerto Rico's WAPA-TV canal 4 television channel, singing with his group, participating in Myrta Silva's show, "Una Hora Contigo" ("One Hour With You"), which lead him to become one of the nueva olas ![]()
teen idols in Puerto Rico.
teen idols in Puerto Rico.Around this time, Julio Angel started singing along rock stars like Neil Sedaka, Frankie Avalon and others during their concerts in Puerto Rico. In 1965, he joined Alfred D. Herger in a show named "Canta la Juventud". In 1966, Acevedo and Herger would collaborate on another show, named "2 a Go-go".Julio Angel had, previous to working with Herger, scored a radio hit with a doo-wop song named "Nunca" ("Never"). The song that made him a household name across Latin America, however, was the one named "El Diamante" ("The Diamond")
He then recorded a song named "Club del Clan" along with another of Puerto Rico's Nueva Ola stars, Lucecita Benitez, followed by his first album, the eponymous "Julio Angel". Once this album reached stores, Julio Angel was given the nickname "Puerto Rican Beatle"![]()
by Herger.
by Herger.The late 1960s proved a busy period for the Puerto Rican singer, as he released three albums, by then signed with RCA Victor. These albums were named "2 a Go-go", "El Idolo" ("The Idol"), and "Que Cosa Trae La Musica Esta Noche" ("Let's See What Music Brings Tonight"). In 1969, he scored another international major hit with "Tan Bonita Como Tu" ("As Pretty as You"). He then collaborated with the famous Trio Los Condes.
After continuous musical success during the 1970s (during which he moved to WAPA-TV's main rival channel, Canal 2 and sang on Pepsi Cola's Puerto Rican commercials), Julio Angel released, in the 1980s, an album named "Ensueno" ("In Dreams") in which he![]()
paid homage to other musical establishments such as Cuba's Casino de la Playa, the Rafael Munoz Orchestra and Cesar Concepcion's Orchestra. In 1982, he re-released "El Diamante" in Puerto Rico, which once again charted among the top local hits of the time.
paid homage to other musical establishments such as Cuba's Casino de la Playa, the Rafael Munoz Orchestra and Cesar Concepcion's Orchestra. In 1982, he re-released "El Diamante" in Puerto Rico, which once again charted among the top local hits of the time.During 2013, Julio Angel suffered a brain stroke. He recuperated from it, but at the same time, he was diagnosed with cancer, which led to depression. He made an unsuccessful suicide attempt in 2013, for which he was hospitalized for ten days at Pavia hospital in San Juan. Julio Angel sought professional help for his depression. In 2014, he was told he was cancer-free.
His health condition and his health care choices triggered a battle between three of his children and a fourth, his son Julio Jr. Allegedly, Julio Angel had told his children Yashira, Alejandro and Everling that he did not want to go to an asylum and wanted to stay at home. His son Julio Jr. then, according to a lawsuit filed by his other three children, took him to an asylum without telling his siblings. Julio Angel suffered two falls during this period, dislocating a shoulder the first time and breaking an arm the second time.
In late June 2015, he was flown by his family to Miami, Florida, to seek for medical help after it was learned that the cancer had returned. He went to the United States to spend father's day with three of his four children. Julio Angel was in failing health most of 2015. On July 6, he died at a hospice in Florida, aged 69. (Info Wikipedia)