His entire family consists of musicians, including tropical recording artists Edwin Rivera and younger sister Saned. Two other brothers, Ito and Jose, are professional instrumental musicians. His parents, also musicians, inspired him to become a musician and as a child he would often accompany his mother Dominga, a singer, and father Edwin, a guitarist and director of Los Barones Trio, during their shows. In 1986, when he was 14 years old, he accompanied his father who was performing at a hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan.
In 2003, this picture was used by Rivera to make the album cover for his tribute Canto a mi Idolo.įrankie Ruiz, who was a guest at the hotel, appeared and sang a couple of songs with them and had his picture taken alongside Rivera.
In 1988, Tommy Olivencia heard Rivera sing alongside his father and recommended that he sing solo. When Rivera was 16, his father made a demo and presented it to the CBS music department.
