Cheo Zorrilla

Cheo Zorrilla
Born
Eliseo Zorrilla Gómez

(1950-02-17)17 February 1950
Tamayo (Bahoruco), Dominican Republic
Died8 June 2025(2025-06-08) (aged 75)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter

Eliseo Zorrilla Gómez (17 February 1950 – 8 June 2025), better known as Cheo Zorrilla, was a Dominican composer, trumpet player, and singer.

Life and career

Zorrilla was born on 17 February 1950 in Tamayo, Bahoruco province.[1] He is considered one of the Dominican composers most recorded by international artists. Some of his best-known songs are: "Apocalipsis", "Al nacer cada enero", and "Con las alas rotas".[2]

In 2016 Zorrilla was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in Miami.[3][4]

Zorrilla died on 8 June 2025, at the age of 75.[5]

At the OTI Festival

Zorrilla represented the Dominican Republic in the OTI Festival twice as singer and five times as songwriter. He also represented Puerto Rico once as songwriter.

Participations in the OTI festival
Year Country Song Performer Songwriter Result
1977 Dominican Republic "Al nacer cada enero" Fernando Casado Cheo Zorrilla 2nd
1982 Puerto Rico "Sin tu música" Lunna
  • Cheo Zorrilla
  • Ángel Peña Berdiel
18th
1983 Dominican Republic "Olvidar, olvidar" Taty Salas Cheo Zorrilla 2nd
1985 "Con las alas rotas" Gina D'Alessandro Cheo Zorrilla Finalist
1986 "Sol de la noche" Cheo Zorrilla Cheo Zorrilla Finalist
1992 "A su tiempo" Cheo Zorrilla
  • Cheo Zorrilla
  • Manuel Tejada
Finalist

References

  1. ^ "Biography of Cheo Zorrilla | De Último Minuto English". deultimominuto.net. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  2. ^ "Escenario 360 presentará Show musical "Bohemia Entre amigos" dedicado a las Madres – Periodico Primicias". primicias.net. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  3. ^ "May 2016 – Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  4. ^ Flores, Griselda (2016-05-24). "Los Temerarios, Draco Rosa & More Announced as Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame 2016 Inductees". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  5. ^ Libre, Diario (2025-06-08). "Fallece el cantautor dominicano Cheo Zorrilla tras sufrir un accidente cerebrovascular". Diario Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-09.