b. Pedro Juan Rodríguez, 31 January c. 1933, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Golden voiced salsa vocalist Rodríguez has a cool and inspired singing style and a regal stage presence that befits his nickname of "El Conde" (The Count). Pete worked with local groups in Ponce before relocating to New York. Johnny Pacheco hired him for Pacheco y su Charanga Vol.IV - "Suav'ito" (c. 1963), Cañonazo (1964, the first release on the Fania Records label) and Pacheco at the N. Y. World's Fair. In 1966 he sang lead vocals on Swing by Conjunto Sensación, a three-trumpet group led by Cuban Rey Roig, who also wrote the arrangements. Roig was a former member of Conjunto Casino in Havana. The pianist with Sensación was Alfredo Rodríguez.
El Conde reunited with Pacheco in 1966 on Pacheco y su Charanga - By Popular Demand. Between 1967 and 1973 they recorded a further five albums together, including probably their best, Tres de Café y Dos de Azúcar, which contained the marvellous "El Piro De Farra". They produced several hits which became classics, such as C. Curet Alonso's composition "La Esencia Del Guaguancó" (from La Perfecta Combinación) and "Dulce Con Dulce" (from Los Compadres).
In 1974, Pete went solo under the new management of his wife, Frances, and made a series of albums which used the same typical Cuban trumpet and tres (six or nine-string Cuban guitar) conjunto format that he had worked in with Pacheco. The recording of his debut, El Conde, was directed by Pacheco, who also sang in the coro (chorus). The album was a best seller and won him the Latin NY magazine award for "Best New Band" in 1975. José Febles arranged the hit tracks "Catalina La O" (written by Johnny Ortiz) and "Pueblo Latino" (composed by Alonso) on his 1976 follow-up Este Negro Si Es Sabroso. Louie Ramírez produced this album and El Conde's 1977 release, A Touch Of Class, which contained the Rubén Blades composition "Tambo", arranged by Febles. Frances took over the role of producer on Soy La Ley in 1979. Febles handled all production and arrangement on Fiesta Con "El Conde" (1982).
A decade after Tres de Café y Dos de Azúcar, Rodríguez and Pacheco teamed up again for four albums between 1983 and 1989, which included their 25th anniversary release Celebración. Johnny was in the background as producer and musical director on El Conde's salsa romántica-oriented El Rey in 1990. Pete was a founder member of the Fania All Stars and performed an exciting version of his hit "Pueblo Latino" on their Live At Yankee Stadium Vol. 1 (1975). He recorded two interpretations of the Beny Moré classic "El Conde Negro", first in 1974 on El Conde, and then on Tito Puente's second tribute album to Moré in 1979.
Solo albums and selected albums on which he sang lead vocals: with Pacheco Pacheco y su Charanga Vol. IV - "Suav'ito" (c. 1963), Cañonazo (1964) and Pacheco At The N. Y. World's Fair (1964); with Conjunto Sensación Swing (1966); with Pacheco Pacheco y su Charanga - By Popular Demand (1966), Sabor Típico (1967), Volando Bajito (1968), La Perfecta Combinación (c .1970) and Los Compadres (1971 ); with Larry Harlow Hommy - A Latin Opera (1973); with Pacheco Tres de Café y Dos de Azúcar (1973); El Conde (1974); Este Negro Si Es Sabroso (1976); with Celia Cruz, Pacheco, Justo Betancourt, and Papo Lucca Recordando El Ayer (1978); A Touch Of Class (1978); Soy La Ley (1979); with Tito Puente Homenaje A Beny, Vol. 2 (1979); with Cruz and Pacheco Celia, Johnny and Pete (1980); Fiesta Con "El Conde" (1982); with Pacheco De Nuevo Los Compadres (1983) and Jicamo (1985); with Cruz and Puente Homenaje A Beny Moré, Vol. III (1985); with Pacheco Salsobita (1987) and Celebración (1989; nominated for a Grammy Award); El Rey (1990); Generaciones (1993)
