Pilita Corrales, also known as “Asia’s Queen of Songs”, passed away on April 12.
Pilita’s granddaughter, actress Janine Gutierrez, made the announcement on Facebook saying, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved mami and mamita, Pilita Corrales.”
Janine wrote, “Pilita touched the lives of many, not only with her songs but also with her kindness and generosity. She will be remembered for her contributions to the entertainment industry, but most of all for her love of life and family.”
People that the legendary singer worked with and those she inspired posted tributes on social media.
Martin Nievera thanked Pilita for giving him his big break in show business. He said, “Thank you for giving me my first pair of wings. Because of you I could fly into my dreams.”
Martin also recalled Pilita’s signature move during her performances when he stated, “Now I ask the entire Showbiz industry to bend the ‘Pilita bend’ with me in honor of a legend; an icon. We love you and honor you this day as we remember you and let your spirit live through all our good works from this day forward. A million thanks to you, tita mamita, Pilita Corrales!”
“A Million Thanks To You,” composed by Alicia Gamilla and Luis Ma. Trinidad, is one of Pilita’s hit songs. In a career spanning almost seven decades, she was said to have released around 135 music albums.
Former Senator and Department of Tourism Secretary Dick Gordon’s connection to Pilita was through his stint as the lawyer of the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry (PARI). He described her as “warm, friendly, and had no airs in spite of her formidable position.”
When Sen. Gordon was Mayor of Olongapo City, the singer often graced the city’s Mardi Gras. And when Sen. Gordon’s wife Kate ran for Congress, Pilita lent her voice to the finale of Mrs. Gordon’s campaign jingle. “She did not even charge us anything, a real spur of the moment event,” revealed Sen. Gordon. “The last time I saw her was when she surprised me with a song during my birthday in 2023.”
Actress and former ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio declared that the singer was “beauty personified.” Charo wrote, “Tita Pilita was always impeccably styled, with that signature coiffed hair and radiant poise. She blazed trails for women in entertainment — not just by singing, but by standing tall with elegance and strength.”
Drummer Jun Regalado shared that Pilita was his cheering squad. He said, “(She) fully encouraged me to be the best in my career as a drummer from the very start since her show ‘An Evening with Pilita’ during mid 60s…”
Born on August 22, 1937 in Lahug, Cebu City, Pilita was the second of seven children of Jose Corrales and Maria Garrido. The Corrales family was well off. Mr. Corrales, a company executive, was able to send Pilita to a finishing school in Spain.
The family’s fortunes were reversed when Mr. Corrales passed away at the age of 45. Pilita became a singer at 16 in order to send her siblings to school. In an episode of the show “Pipol,” Pilita told host Ces Drilon that her mother’s monthly pension of Php 750 was simply not enough.
Her voice saved her, as well. Ces asked Pilita, “If you didn’t know how to sing, what would you have done?”
Pilita candidly replied, “I would have been a hostess in a night club… Thank God! He gave me talent.”
That talent led to a sterling career in TV (“Television really made me what I am today,” she said in an ABS-CBN documentary.), film, recording, and the local and international concert stage. Her program “An Evening With Pilita” lasted for nine years. She opened for the Beatles’s concert. Pilita had also performed with international stars Julie Andrews, Pat Boone and Sammy Davis, Jr. She was the first Filipina to gain success as a recording artist in Australia where a street is named after her. She won in the 1972 Tokyo Music Festival.
She also had big success as a TV host (“Bagong Kampeon,” “Tanghalan ng Kampeon”) and movie star. Among her last projects included stints as a judge on “It’s Showtime,” and special roles in “Bride for Rent” starring Kim Chui, and “Elise” and “Ikaw” starring her granddaughter Janine Gutierrez.
In an interview during Billboard Philippines Women in Music Awards night, Pilita’s daughter Jackie Lou Blanco said, “My mom has paved the way for so many performers, opened doors for many Filipino to make it here and abroad. It’s nice that she is being honored for what she has given, who she stands for – a strong woman.”
As for her personal life, Pilita endured heartaches until she found “The One” in Mr. Carlos Lopez.
In spite of her not-so-pleasant experiences, Pilita never became bitter. “No regrets. You don’t remember the bad,” she told Ces. Instead, she channeled the hurts into her singing. “I can sing a song with emotion because I went through it.”
The legendary singer’s remains lie in state at the Heritage Park Chapels in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig until Wednesday, April 16.
