Not too many knew he was slowly fading, except a few of his colleagues who had a scheduled show the night he died.

Online prayers came from all corners of the world. And it became all too real when, on the first day of his wake, a sizeable crowd came to bid farewell.

Eugene Villaluz had indeed passed on, but instead of sadness, there was a celebratory air among his friends. There were stories from each phase of his life, with singers Basil Valdez, Leo Valdez and Joey Albert cracking jokes in front of the urn, so that Eugene’s spirit could enjoy the moment.

Eileen Dolina-Novak, original member of The New Minstrels, commented online from Sydney: “I could see Eugene laughing through his nose.”

But there was a serious side to Villaluz, as Antonio “Bok” Marty, a school buddy from elementary to college and a football teammate at San Beda College recalled: “Eugene served as an inspiration to many students. He was intelligent and athletic. He was an honor student all throughout high school and college.”

Vic Baclagon, another original member of The New Minstrels who now resides in the United States and also a Bedan, recounted watching the team practice in the mornings. “Eugene had determination and focus. So when he asked me to audition for a role in ‘The Fantasticks,’ I did not hesitate. This was my first encounter with Eugene.”

Cum laude

After graduating in 1970, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and a year later, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Villaluz was immediately hired by Citibank as a marketing officer.

But the call of music was too strong. In 1973, on the verge of a promotion, he resigned from the bank and became one of the founding members of The New Minstrels, along with school friend Cesar de la Fuente.

The New Minstrels became a groundbreaking “show band,” whose distinct style of harmony and complex music arrangements became the group’s hallmark. Alongside other groups like The Ambivalent Crowd, The Circus Band, Hotdog, Sangkatutak Band among others, the Minstrels became part of the constellation of Filipino musical talents that collectively became known as proponents of OPM (Original Pilipino Music).

When the original group disbanded, giving way to a second generation of Minstrels, Villaluz, Ding Mercado and Louie Reyes went solo. Villaluz went on to form, mentor and manage groups like The Cadillac, three young ladies whose repertoire echoed The Andrews Sisters, and Wise Guys, a pop group with talented and good-looking young male singers.

He also mentored the new members of the Minstrels, among them Joey Albert.

Recognizing new talent was one of Villaluz’s gifts and mentoring seemed to come second nature to him. As a record producer, he worked with soon-to-be-known artists Janet Basco and Sharon Cuneta. As an executive at Warner Music, working with Ma-an Hontiveros, he signed Zsa Zsa Padilla and produced albums for Sarah Geronimo and Rachel Ann Go.

Moy Ortiz, Villaluz’s nephew and a member of the vocal group The Company, is quick to admit, “I owe Tito Eugene my career, everything I know.”

Faculty Member of the Year

When Villaluz left for New York in 1984, he taught at the SCS Business and Technical Institute in New Jersey. On the side, he managed a Filipino-American group called Friends in Harmony. He was awarded Faculty Member of the Year and became a Director of Education for the school.

He shared a flat with good friends Jay Bonoan and Tony Magdua—moving into what Bonoan described as a condo with state-of-the-art appliances. Excited to try out the dishwasher, they poured powdered detergent into the receptacle.

“The sound of the machine was nice, then a few bubbles came out,” recalled Bonoan. “The bubbles kept coming but we couldn’t stop the machine, until the bubbles reached our knees. We couldn’t stop laughing!”

Back in Manila, Villaluz resumed singing, not just through solo stints and concerts but musical theater as well. He played lead or second lead in Filipino stage musicals like “Larawan,” “Gomburza,” “Noli Me Tangere,” “Rama Hari,” “Ilustrado,” “Aguinaldo, the Musical” and “Rama at Sita.”

In all, his commitment was total, even if it meant crawling underneath the stage to pop out on the other side while bursting into song. This incident, he recounted in between fits of laughter.

“Even in his dying days, Eugene was still looking after me,” said Dolina-Novak.

“I have only fond memories of Eugene,” added Johnny Manahan. “He was kind and gentle. But he was witty and could exchange barbs with the best of them.”

For all his fun-loving light-heartedness, Villaluz as a singer was, ironically, best known for the tear-jerking hit song, “Gulong ng Palad,” the Filipino adaptation of “L’Amour d’Aimer” by Francis Lai (who also composed the theme song for the movie “Love Story”). “Gulong” became the theme song of an early evening soap opera in the 198os of the same title.

In 1982, he and Reyes interpreted the song “Nothing I Want More,” written by Jun Latonio and Tillie Moreno, which won them the Grand Prix at the Seoul Song Festival.

Viable profession

In recent years, Villaluz joined the faculty of the newly established Meridian International (Mint) College in Bonifacio Global City, heading the Music Business Management program. It was through his talent, drive, knowledge and experience that he affirmed the connection between artistry and business—music as a viable profession, encouraging his young students to be creative and innovative as artists and producers.

On Twitter, his students wrote: “Mr. Eugene Villaluz, your spirit will live on in our classrooms, hallways and studios.” On the last day of his wake, his young student apprentices came in full force and offered him a tribute in song.

As he practiced what he preached, he continued to coproduce and organize shows that brought OPM legends back on stage. Among these sold-out shows were the Minstrels and Circus Band Reunion performances on Valentine’s Day and regular weekly shows at Solaire’s Eclipse Bar with Pat Castillo, Ding Mercado and Jacqui Magno.

On the day Eugene breathed his last, three performances were scheduled: Joey Albert performing at Pagcor; his nephew, Moy, with The Company at Balesin, and a show where Villaluz himself was billed with Mercado, Castillo and Magno. (Chad Borja took Villaluz’s place). Later, all of them admitted that it took a lot to hold back tears during the performance.

“It was as though he wanted to be serenaded as he left us,” said Albert.

A tearful Reyes, his constant singing partner now in the United States, offered in absentia her cover version of “Light of A Million Mornings.” Mei-Ling Gozum Fuentes, messaging from Canada, sent the comforting song, “It Is Well With My Soul,” knowing that Villaluz was at peace with his Creator after a short but painful battle for his life.

To the end, it was about the one thing he passionately wanted to share: music. On the wake’s last day, an impromptu concert started off with Bituin Escalante accompanied by Eugene’s brother-in-law, Adolph Ortiz, tickling mean jazz chords to accompany her. There was a dance number by Douglas Nierras’ Powerdance, to a duet of Reyes and Villaluz himself.

Magno, Castillo, Mercado, Leah Navarro and a host of others sang their hearts out for Villaluz, ending in a rousing finale of a medley of ’70s disco hits.

While in New York, Villaluz independently recorded an album with the title song “Passing Through.”

It spoke of close relationships that leave a mark, even when people go their separate ways. The song best described how Villaluz was to many people. —CONTRIBUTED