Jorge Villamizar

Colombian-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jorge Villamizar experienced several years of success in the band Bacilos before embarking on a solo career. Born October 14, 1970, in Montería, Córdoba, Colombia, he moved with his family to Quito, Ecuador, at age ten. Influenced by the Beatles as well as folk music of the Andes, he took a deep interest in music during these years. At age 15 he attended a Soda Stereo concert in Quito that left a lasting impression upon him and inspired him to make music of his own. At age 18 he returned to Colombia and joined the Navy, where he passed the time with songwriting and guitar playing. He subsequently moved to London to study for a while and then moved to Miami, FL, in 1992. During the mid-'90s, while he was attending the University of Miami, Villamizar formed the rock en español band Bacilos with classmates André Lopes (bass) and José Javier Freire (percussion). Bacilos made their full-length recording debut with the independently released album Madera (1999). A major-label recording contract with Warner Music Latina followed, resulting in a series of acclaimed albums -- Bacilos (2000), Caraluna (2002), and Sin Vergüenza (2004) -- and a greatest-hits collection, Grandes Exitos (2006). Over the years Bacilos won multiple Latin Grammys and scored several hit singles, most notably "Tabaco y Chanel," "Caraluna," "Mi Primer Millón," "Pasos de Gigante," and "Contigo Se Va." In addition, Villamizar outsourced his songwriting ability, co-writing songs with Marc Anthony ("Viviendo"), Obie Bermúdez ("Así Me Siento Hoy"), Julieta Venegas ("Limón y Sal"), and others; plus, he co-wrote several songs on Paulina Rubio's album Pau-Latina (2004). Following the 2007 breakup of Bacilos, Villamizar made his full-length solo album debut with Jorge Villamizar (2008). Released by Warner Music Latina, the album spawned the hit single "Ninguna" and features a collaboration with Julieta Venegas ("Dime Quien"). ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi