Don Armando


Armando Bonilla Jr., known as Don Armando, was an American musician. He formed the Second Avenue Rhumba Band with vocalist Fonda Rae and scored a #1 hit on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Deputy of Love" in 1979. Bonilla was also a percussionist with Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band.

Biography

Armando "Sonny" Bonilla was born and raised in East Harlem, New York City, the eldest sibling of a family composed of five sons of a Puerto Rican father - Roman Armando Bonilla, the leader of the East Harlem Orchestra - and a Colombian mother. After completing a tour of duty with the United States Air Force, he graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, and later he acquired a master's degree from Columbia University. One of his younger brothers, Luis Bonilla, played congas on Larry Harlow's breakout album Heavy Smokin'. Another brother, Nestor, is also a professional percussionist.
He worked on Sesame Street, before joining Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. He left in 1978 to form Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band. He also worked as a session musician in New York. He wrote a treatment for a sitcom called "Cowboy Tito" while living in Hollywood and was producing a musical called "The Love of a Jukebox Hero". He co-wrote "Mambo Queen" with L.A. composer Aaron Loo. The Second Avenue Rhumba Band's song, "Goin' to a Showdown," and "Winter Love " was featured in the 1980 horror film Maniac.
Don Armando died in 2002, in Seattle, from cancer at the age of 56.

Discography

  • 1979 Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band
  • *A1. "Deputy of Love"
  • *A2. "Compliment Your Leading Lady"
  • *A3. "Winter Love"
  • *B1. "Goin' to a Showdown"
  • *B2. "How to Handle a Woman"
  • *B3. "I'm an Indian Too"
  • *B4. "Para Ti" / "This Is Just for You"