Silvestre Francisco Dangond Corrales aka Silvestrong (Born May 12, 1980 in Urumita, La Guajira) is a Colombian Vallenato singer, composer and Timbales player. Dangond is considered one of the mainstream representatives of the "new wave" of vallenato musicians.

Early years

Dangond grew up back and forward between his birthplace Urumita and Valledupar, but mostly in this last one, where his parents moved when he was just a year old to Valledupar due to financial hardships. As a curiosity Jorge Oñate was his Godparent. In Valledupar his parents enrolled him in the Jardín Nacional nursery school, later attended middle school at the Colegio Colombo-Ingles and high school at the Colegio Britanico, finally graduated from the Liceo del Caribe high school. During his Childhood Dangond also participated in many vallenato children festivals supported by his parents. specially his father, and had the opportunity at the age of 13 to record a song written by vallenato composer Octavio Daza.

Singing career

with Román López

After graduating from high school Dangond dedicated in full to music. He grouped with amateur accordion player Ramón López and after performing in some parties and gigs they recorded their first album in 2002 called "Tanto para tí" which included 12 songs; Nada te conmueve composed by Fabian Corrales, Necesito verte by Juan Manuel Perez, No te escondas mas by Felipe Pelaez, Mi encantadora egoista by Alberto Murgas, Quien me mando of his own authorship, Un amor tan grande by Freddy Carrillo, Muñeca de porcelana by Luis Alonso, Que no me roben tu corazón by Antonio Meriño, Lloraras un amor by Jaime Bayona, La flor mas linda by Armando Moscote, El extorcionista by Carlos Ramirez and Tanto para ti by Freddy Carrillo. It was during this time that he met his friend and also vallenato singer Kaleth Morales.

with Juancho De la Espriella

Silvestre Dangond and Juancho De la Espriella performing live on stage.

By pure coincidence and through friend in common, manager and promoter Carlos Blum, Dangond officially met accordionist Juancho De la Espriella during a serenata (De la Espriella was grouped with singer Peter Manjarrez). Both of them knew who the other was but had never crossed words. Since that day they became good friends. Blum then convinced them to become a musical duo and arranged their first gig together at the Alfonso López Michelsen Building in a celebration of the Cesar Department foundation.

Lo mejor para los dos (The best for the two of us - Album)

Their musical union created great buzz within the vallenato critics and fans, and shortly they recorded their first album together named titled Lo mejor para los dos (2003) containing 13 tracks; La pinta chevere of Dangond's authorship, Nuestra vida by Jose Hernandez, Detalles y recuerdos by Enrique Carrascal, Mi amor por ella by Omar Geles, Ni en pintura by Dagoberto Osorio, El ring ring by Luis Alonso, Sabroso by Hernando Marin, Dejame quererte by Alejandro Sarmiento, No se, me equivoque by Rafael Manjarrez, La razon de mi vivir by Ivan Calderon, El chinchorrito by Alejo Duran, Me vuelve loquito by Josue Rodriguez and Lo mejor para los dos by Kaleth Morales. Dangond and De la Espriella performed in more than 250 shows through out 2003, most of them in December with 28 presentations.

Mas unidos que nunca (More united than ever - Album)

Silvestre Dangond and Juancho De la Espriella performing.

Their following album was Mas unidos que nunca, released on June 13, 2004 containing 14 songs which included one unplugged bonus track; Cautico mi canto of Dangond's authorship, El vaiven by Hernando Bustos, A blanco y negro by Omar Geles, La Colegiala of Dangond's authorship, Yo no me como ese cuento by Dagoberto Osorio, Acepto el reto by Luis Egurrola, Pa Barranquilla of Dangond's authorship, Me la juego toda by Kaleth Morales, Baila Vallenato by Leo Duran, La Mentira by Wilfran Castillo, Cuando llego en temple by Armando Romero, Celos y que by Luis Alonso, La mujer de mis sueños by Unknown author and La colegiala unplugged version. With this album Dangond and De la Espriella consolidated as one of the most successful vallenato groups in this genre thanks to the acceptance of their hit song La colegiala.[2]

Ponte a la moda (Put up your style - Album)

In 2005 Dangond and De la Espriella released their third album together titled Ponte a la moda which also became a great success in Colombia and outside Colombia, especially within the Latin American community in the united States. The Album included the songs; Ahi viene ahi va of Dangond's authorship, Pa una mujer bonita by Omar Geles, Dile by Alberto Mercado, El tao tao by Lucho Perez, Mi seguidora y yo by Kaleth Morales, Esa mirada by Enrique Araujo, La pareja del momento by Jeiner Lopez, La misteriosa by Isaac Calvo, Ponte a la moda by Luis Alonso, Silvetre en Carnaval by Various artists, Una vez mas by Luis Egurrola, El enredo by Manuel Julian, Por ser machista of Dangond's authorship and La indiferencia (live unplugged) by Luis Alonso.

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