CHOLO VALDERRAMA
They say that Wilson Orlando Valderrama composes while riding, and that Llano is the one who dictates the verses to him while he rides alone. “My taita told me that close to the horizon are the verses spread across the savanna and the mountains, that to collect them you must have a noble soul,” Cholo recites and later, on a hammock, he begins to sing and compose songs with the four.
Born in Sogamoso on August 23, 1951 and winner of the 2008 Latin Grammy Award in the traditional-folklore album category with his full-length “Caballo”, the singer and cuatrista, Orlando “Cholo” Valderrama completes more than two dozen sound productions. Although born in Sogamoso, Boyacá, he grew up in Las Gaviotas, Casanare, where he served as a baquiano. His first song, “Bonguero del Casanare”, was composed at the age of 15, and his debut as a performer occurred while he was serving in the military.
​
At the beginning of the 80s, Cholo recorded his first sound production with the so-called Conjunto Quitapesares, alongside the late harp player Carlos “Cuco” Rojas. He would later pursue a career as a soloist, becoming the winner of several singing competitions that helped him make his name visible.
​
El Cholo was not only the first Llanero musician to win a Latin Grammy, but he was also a pioneer in doing a concert in China. His are songs like “Viento Viajero”, “Aqui en mi Llano”, “Muchacha, how much I love you” and “Coleador”. The sound of the Colombian plains is well represented with this farmer, performer and composer. Each of his more than 20 record productions is a marvel of strong tradition.
​
As a collaborative musician, Valderrama has had participations that range from being included in the album “El Frutu”, by the Bogotá fusion group Curupira, to his contribution to a new version of the Carlos Vives classic “La tierra del olvido”. This speaks well of an eclecticism that is very typical of his more than 40 years of career.