OPM folk icon Heber Bartolome passes away Monday night due to lingering illness.
ORIGINAL Pilipino Music pioneer and legend Heber Bartolome passed away at the age of 73 on Monday night.
According to his brother Jesse Bartolome, his death was sudden.
He gave additional details about the music legend’s passing in his interview on Super Radyo DZBB.
“Oo, kagabi lang… Ito namatay si utol, Biglaan. Masaya pa kami noong birthday niya eh nitong nakaraang Tuesday,” he said.
Jesse said that Heber had been suffering from prostate stones for over a year prior to his death.
The 73-year old musician passed away at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.
Jesse received a call from the hospital relaying the news that Heber had lost his pulse and was pronounced dead.
Additionally, a burial will be held for Heber as his death is not COVID-19 related.
Heber Bartolome was born in Cabanatuan on November 4, 1948.
He started his career as a singer at an early age after completing his formal education from the University of the Philippines.
Bartolome is labelled as a singer, songwriter, composer, poet, guitarist, bandurria player, bluesman, and painter.
His work has been described as “a unique synthesis of rock and blues and the rhythm of the Filipino nationality”. Bartolome’s song “Nena” became a hit in 1977.
His song “Tayo’y Mga Pinoy” (“We are Filipinos”) was a finalist during the first Metro Manila Pop Music Festival in 1978.
“Tayo’y Mga Pinoy” took him to his peak of popularity as it served as a protest against the submission of Filipinos to Western influences.
"Lagi kong sinasabi God given ang mga sinulat ko. Parang ginagamit ka ng kung sino na, may bumubulong. Biglang dadaan sa isip mo. Hindi iyong parang susulat ako ng tungkol sa pagiging makabayan. Wala akong ganu’ng mga impression.", he shared in an interview.
The late Francis Magalona was so impressed by his music that he even sampled it in his 1992 album “Rap is Francism”.
His other hits include "Almusal," "Karaniwang Tao," and "Inutil Na Gising," which he sang with his band Banyuhay. (With a report by Santiago Celario)
Tags: music, OPM, death