Ramoncito Díaz, the professional name of Ramón Alberto Díaz Domínguez (Jacagua, Santiago, 31 August 1935–Santo Domingo, 28 January 2007), was a Dominican songwriter, poet and advertising creative. His merengues reached several generations of performers, bringing humor, satire and scenes of everyday life onto the dance floor.

From Jacagua to the capital

An account preserved in the «Fichero Artístico Dominicano» says that he arrived in Santo Domingo in 1946 and worked a succession of jobs before establishing himself in writing and advertising. He completed secondary studies in philosophy and literature, studied law at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and worked for the newspapers «La Nación» and «El Urgente». He won a poetry prize at Santiago's Juegos Florales in 1953, and his verse also appeared in the press.

Songs across the orchestras

Music researcher Máximo Jiménez identifies «Quítate el chaquetón», recorded by Johnny Pacheco in 1967, among his earliest documented recordings. In the late 1970s, Wilfrido Vargas brought «Wilfrido dame un consejo» and «Jeremías» into his repertoire. During the next decade, Díaz's songs reached Jossie Esteban y La Patrulla 15 with «Tu va’ vei» (1979), Johnny Ventura with «No te imaginas» (1980), and Sandy Reyes with «Un pie aquí y otro allá» (1983). The last of these portrays the Dominican migrant's thoughts of returning home.

He also wrote «Puchula», recorded by Los Hijos del Rey with Robert Jeandor singing, and «El Barbarazo», popularized by Wilfrido Vargas's orchestra. «Sin tambora no hay merengue», recorded by Jerry Legrand in 1984, reflects his interest in the musical language of merengue itself.

Words in advertising

Díaz worked at the Fénix and Siboney agencies and at Publicitaria Trío. The Don Chencho political campaign associated with Joaquín Balaguer became one of his best-remembered projects. Another creative involved in the campaign distinguished its initial concept from Díaz's creative execution; his «Diario Libre» obituary also associates him with the character. A former National Lottery official recalled commissioning Díaz and Publicitaria Trío to create the «Manos limpias» campaign.

Legacy

Ramoncito Díaz joined popular songwriting to the language of the street and of advertising. Merengue history remembers him above all for songs that other artists made their own, from late-1960s recordings to orchestral hits of the 1980s.