Queen of Visayan Songs passed away

        “Queen of Visayan Songs Susan Fuentes has passed away after suffering from colon cancer,” said singer Dulce.

        “According to Dulce, the 58 years old artist died at 12:20 p.m. on Saturday. She passed away without any member of her family on her side since she had long been estranged from her two children.

        “I was praying for her on the phone and assured her of the Kingdom where Jesus is waiting to welcome her home, where there’s no more sadness or pain,” “To everyone who helped Susan Fuentes, we thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts,” said Dulce.

        Fuentes was the fourth of five siblings. She was born as Susan Toyogan in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte. Her father was from Bohol, her mother from Surigao. She had been living in Quezon City since 1973.

        As a singer, Fuentes’ sultry performance was noted for its “lusty vocals and emotional styling.”

        She originally recorded and popularized such Visayan Classics as “Matud Nila” (They Say), “Gimingaw Ako” (I Feel Lonesome), “Usahay” (Sometimes), “Rosas Pandan.”in the 1970s and 80s. She is the original singer of that beloved season staple “Miss Kita Kung Christmas.”

        The repertoire—ranging from Cebuano to Boholano to Ilonggo traditional airs and folk ditties—made her very popular in the Visayas and Mindanao and a novelty hit in Luzon. It became popular that a few became theme songs for lovers who didn’t even speak the language.

        The impact was in the music, but more so if those lovers understood the lyrics, and then they would be unspeakable. The range of Fuentes’ voice was such that she could effortlessly shift from the agony of “Gimingaw Ako” to the friskiness of “Rosas Pandan.”

        By age five, she was already joining amateur singing contests. While still in high school, she was featured in Bisaya magazine (Cebuano-language counterpart of Liwayway) for her talent and beauty.

        After high school, she went to Manila, where family friend Eugenia Molina, sister of singer Merci, helped her sign up with Alpha Records. When she transferred to Jem Recording, she was billed as the Queen of Visayan Songs. She released seven albums, all certified gold records in the Visayas and Mindanao.