EXTRACT AUTOBIOGRAPHY If you want to read the whole biography log on to: www.charliehernandez.net ...this first recording as a soloist was done in Charlie Bigio’s studio (well more of a dormitory). It was my first “MIDI” record in contemporary Christian music, called “Seguir y Llegar”. Nany helped me by recording background voices together with a few friends and so we launched this new music style to the streets. This recording caused many varied impressions; from enthusiasm to rejection, but was a great blessing and opened the doors for other recordings in that same style. Invitations started pouring in from different places, including Costa Rica, which is now my second home. In 1986 the rock band “Petra” came to Puerto Rico and invited me to open their concert. One of the DJ’s from the radio station Alfa Rock asked me to use a generic name different from Charlie Hernandez because it sounded too “cocolo”. It’s that “cocolos” (salsa lovers) and rockers don’t get along. They were afraid people would not attend the concert and asked to call my group the CH Band. I laugh now, but at that moment it wasn’t funny at all. We played the opening and Romulo Otero (Koran Codesh), John Maldonado and Vanyo Esquilin (33DC) helped us, none of whom had started their own ministries yet. Playing with Petra opened doors and many musicians from different places offered to help me. I met two super talented brothers; Jimmy and Danny Rodriguez. They were exceptional, not only for their talent, but their humility and simplicity; a quality difficult to find in talented people. I met the base player Joel Alice and the singer Edwin Colon while playing with the Eli Colon’s group “Redes”. Both offered me their help in forming a band; actually during that time Edwin introduced me to his sister Laura, better known as Laurie, who I helped put together her first band. It was 1990 and Sonny Hernandez, a recording engineer, helped shape my second project “Mantente Firme”. Recording this project was an excellent adventure. CD’s were at an experimental stage during this time. Sonny thought we should reproduce this recording on CD, which brought on an out pour of criticism; people said it wasn’t safe, not an official format and that cassette would prevail….bla bla bla. The entire band went and presented our CD to the radio station “Radio Triunfo”, we even bought them a CD player. This was a historic moment; we recorded the first Christian CD in Spanish of the World! The CH Band rehearsed until we were polished enough as a group to go out and minister in concerts of all types. I started attending a church in Toa Baja “Iglesia Amor y Verdad” with Pastor Jr. Vélez. It was 1992 and the first time I had ever seen a man, the pastor, play and lead the church in praise and worship. I was impacted by this and said to the Lord; “Father, please use me that way”, it felt like I touched the Glory of God. My pastor, Junior Velez, was a very humble and knowledgeable in music. He had a recording studio in his home, where I spent many hours writing and worshiping God. In 1993 I traveled again to Costa Rica; Danilo Montero had invited me to a Worship event where, among many others, Marcos Witt would minister. My life was transformed in this event. Back home I recorded with my church the first praise and worship CD produced in Puerto Rico. At the same time I worked with producer, Nephtali Colon on the CD “Hay un hombre en la Cruz”, a song I wrong based on a poem recited by Norma Colon. Both CD’s came out simultaneously and became the favorites of radio stations and churches. At this time, the percussionist Edgard Rodriguez, Daly Guerrido and Vernette Velez , vocalists and Alejandro De la Cruz on the base, joined the band. On one of my trips to the country I met a beautiful, fellow servant of God named Claudina Brinn. When Claudina’s music came out we were left in awe because of the vocal quality and radical music arrangements. Immediately we established a friendship and always kept in touch. While in Costa Rica, I spoke with Juan Carlos Alvarado, to put together the first National Praise and Worship event in Puerto Rico. He suggested I speak with Rey Matos, Catacumbas pastor, and Claudina’s pastor!. The group 33DC, Claudina Brinns ministry and us organized and put together the event sponsored by the Catacumbas ministry. It was a leap of faith, but God backed us. It was held at the Baptist Church in Ponce. There Marcos Witt and his band, Juan Carlos Alvarado with his band, the group Torre Fuerte, Danilo and we participated. In addition we held three and invited people like Marco Barrientos, Marcos Vidal and Miguel Cassina... MORE @ www.charliehernandez.net