July 25 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts and Entertainment Source: The King of Latin Soul to kick off inaugural Latin Rock festival

Before he became the King of Latin Soul that he is today, Joe Bataan struggled with his identity growing up in East Harlem in the 1960s. Incarcerated at 15 for riding in a stolen vehicle, Bataan discovered music in prison, where he formed the “Joe Bataan sound.”

“It’s romantic. It tries to be truthful. I avoid any negativity and I try to avoid the word love because everybody uses that. I try to describe love in different words in my lyrics,” said Bataan.

Bataan’s signature Latin style is also a symptom of his early youth.

As the son of an African-American mother and Filipino father, Bataan recalled the struggle of there being only “three Filipinos in the whole city and my father was one.” Consequently, his upbringing was largely shaped by the prevalent Latino culture and music.

“The Filipino side of me was very rare until I decided who the heck I was,” recalled Bataan, who went on to coin the term “Afro-Filipino” in the ’70s. As Bataan began to travel the country he was thrilled to find a new generation of Filipinos on the West Coast.

Now, as Bataan prepares to headline at Vallejo’s inaugural Latin Rock on the Dock on July 27, he finds himself at the intersection of his multicultural identity.

Playing Latin soul and pop for the established Filipino community in Vallejo is a story of found and inherited community for the singer. “To come back to my brothers and sisters is an honor,” said Bataan, whose history with the Bay Area predates the opening of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

This won’t be the first time Bataan has been recognized for his cultural pride. In 2010, the singer was honored at a Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center tribute that highlighted his career and the socio-cultural activism of Asian, Latino and African American communities in the ’60s and ’70s.

“I was honored by three different cultures, and if you look at it, that’s three-quarters of the world,” marveled Bataan.

When reflecting on his life, the 82-year-old singer is quick to embrace gratitude. “I’ve always been an underground commodity,” he said. “I’ve never been Elton John, I’ve never been Michael Jackson. Joe Bataan has always been underground. But my public is spread throughout the world and my songs have captured a lot of hearts through my lyrics, and I owe that gift to God.”

Despite his humble outlook, Bataan’s legacy is only growing longer and more impressive. His upcoming memoir, “Streetology: The Legacy of the Afro-Filipino, King of Latin Soul,” set to be released in the fall, is an attempt to capture his ongoing story.

Bataan summarizes his journey to this point as a “Cinderella story.” The singer not only turned his life around after prison, but he has also survived a host of ailments including three heart attacks, cancer and diabetes.

Bataan’s health scares have influenced the way he performs on stage. “I open up all my concerts with “The Lord’s Prayer,” and that was a promise that I made maybe 25 years,” said Bataan, who didn’t realize when he recorded the song four decades ago that it would become his most popular song.

While the song carries personal significance for Bataan, its impact is felt in the audience regardless of religion. It helps to unify the audience, which Bataan says always includes a wide range of ages and cultures.

“There’s no stopping who comes to see Joe Bataan, and that has been my goal for a long time.”

IF YOU GO:

• WHAT: Latin Rock on the Dock music festival
• WHEN: July 27, 1 p.m.
• WHERE: 860 Nimitz Ave, Vallejo.
• TICKETS:TGA: $102 – VIP: $160 – PREMIUM VIP $265, Available online at: ftpresents.com

Originally Published: July 23, 2024 at 5:54 p.m.