During breaks from Cortijo's group, Santiago played with local bands "Gilberto Y Su Sexteto" & "La Sonora De Felipe Rodríguez". On an impulse, Santiago decided to stay in Chicago. Santiago was hired to sing with Cortijo's group and in three weeks time learned the bands repertoire and started touring with them throughout Dominican Republic, New York City and Chicago. Upon a recommendation from conga player Celso Clemente, famed Puerto Rican composer Tite Curet Alonso met Santiago and brought him to an audition for Rafael Cortijo's group. His first professional job as a singer was in 1966 with Roberto Valdés group "Los Trotamundos". Santiago was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age.ĭuring his youth, Santiago would participate in jam sessions in his neighborhood as well as in school. At the age of 13, Santiago and his family moved to the Nemesio Canales public housing project where he was eventually nicknamed "El Grifo de Canales" ("The kinky-haired of Canales") by close friends and fans. In his younger years Santiago lived between the Bólivar and Sánchez streets in the Parada 22 area of Santurce. Santiago was born in the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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