TULAD ng veteran Filipino singers, hitmakers and performers na sina Lani Misalucha at Michael Laygo, ang seasoned singer, actor, performer, host and the singing doctor na si Zeno “Nonoy” Zuniga ay naka-base na sa Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA with his family pero siya’y pabalik-balik ng Pilipinas for shows and to visit his relatives and friends.

Kahit nakapagtapos ng medical studies si Nonoy (just like his father and another sibling), mas pinaboran pa rin niya ang pagiging isang mang-aawit, his first love.

Ang singing talent ni Nonoy at ng iba pa niyang mga kapatid (they’re 9 siblings) ay minana nila sa kanilang ama who’s also a singing doctor. At ang singing talent ni Nonoy ay minana rin ng kanyang limang anak na sina Jonah, Zeph, Zack, Ziggy at Zigmund.

Lumaki umano sila surrounded by music at home at ito ang kanilang naging common bond as a family.

Nagsimula si Nonoy sa pagiging isang folk singer sa iba’t ibang joints. Na-introduce siya sa iba’t ibang genre ng music when he became a member ng Family Birth Control Band because they need to learn, sing ang perform various types of music.

Nung October 4, 1980, Nonoy along with four guests were in the rest room of Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel as he was preparing for their band’s set at Siete Pecados of the hotel where they were regularly performing. Walang kaalam-alam si Nonoy and the other guests plus a hotel staff na may nakatago palang bomba malapit lang sa trash bin kung saan siya naroon. Suddenly, it exploded at siya ang pinakamatindi ang tama. He (along with the other guests) were rushed to the hospital only for him to find out na wala na ang kanyang right leg.

Nagkaroon man ng artificial limb si Nonoy, nawalan siya nang gana na ipagpatuloy ang kanyang singing career dahil ayaw umano siyang kaawaan ng mga tao. Nagpatuloy na lamang siya sa pag-aaral ng medicine sa University of Santo Tomas.

1981 was declared as The Year of the Disabled at sa ika-apat na taon ng taunang Metro Manila Film Festival, ginawang theme ang awiting “Ako ay Ikaw Rin” composed by Franklin Kleiner and thought of Nonoy to sing the song at maging guest performer sa nasabing musical festival.

At first ay reluctant si Nonoy to accept the invitation dahil decided na siyang i-give up ang kanyang singing career at mag-focus na lamang sa kanyang pag-aaral sa pagka-doctor. But eventually he agreed because he represents as one of the disabled.

Matapos kantahin ni Nonoy ang “Ako ay Ikaw,” nilapitan siya ng isa sa mga judges that evening, ang yumaong singer, composer, musical director at siyang presidente noon ng Jem Recording (kung saan kabilang sina Hajji Alejandro, Apo Hiking Society, Janet Basco, Susan Fuentes, Lou Bonnevie at iba pa) na si Willy Cruz.

Nonoy sounded like the American singer, composer and record producer na si Lou Rawls and Willy made him an offer to record a song.

At that time, may nakarating nang balita kay Willy na lilipat umano si Hajji sa ibang record outfit and he was looking for a new artist that would fit as a replacement sa tinaguriang `Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala” should he finally decide to leave.

Nonoy turned down the offer of Willy but changed his mind a few days after at kasunod na rito ang kanyang paglagda ng kontrata sa Jem Records.

Willy wrote Nonoy’s first hit song, “Doon Lang” which propelled his popularity na sinundan ng iba pang hits tulad ng “Kumusta Ka” (lyrics by Baby Gil), “Never Ever Say Goodbye,” “Araw Gabi” which was covered by Regine Velasquez, Ice Seguerra and Noel Cabangon, “Live for Love,” “Fragments of Forever,” “Init sa Magdamag,” “Much More” at marami pang iba.

During the early 80’s ay namamayagpag na ang iba pang OPM greats tulad nina Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro, Basil Valdez, Rey Valera at iba pa and Nonoy became an addition at naging kapanabayan niya halos ang isa pang OPM hitmaker na si Marco Sison.

Ang kanyang hit song na “Never Ever Say Goodbye” ay ginawang pelikula in 1982 with Vilma Santos as his leading lady na dinirek ni Gil Portes under Solar Films.

“Kumusta Ka” was made into a tele-movie na pinagtambalan nila ni Gina Alajar. He also guested sa “The Maricel Soriano Drama” at naka-eksena niya si Maria and few other acting stints.

Dahil sa kanyang kapansanan, hindi na ipinagpatuloy pa ni Nonoy ang kanyang acting career at nag-focus na lamang siya sa kanyang singing and eventually hosting career.

He hosted the long-running public affairs program, “Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko” for six years na sinundan ng “MedTalk with Dr. Z” at naging bahagi rin siya ng noontime show noon ng ABS-CBN, ang “Pilipinas Win na Win”.

When he almost died and lost his right leg, ang buong akala ni Nonoy ay katapusan na ng kanyang singing career. But God had other plans for him.

Hindi man siya nakabalik sa kanyang dating band, it paved a way for him to go solo at doon siya namayagpag nang husto. But he considers his stint with the band his best training ground before he went solo.

Nonoy believes in destiny.

Although he is still in demand as a solo performer, it was the late Rico J. Puno who thought of forming The Hitmakers kasama sina Hajji, Rey, Marco at Nonoy. Naging in-demand ang grupo hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kundi sa iba’t ibang bansa.

When Rico J. passed on in October 2018, ang pakiramdam nina Nonoy, Hajji, Rey at Marco ay para umano silang nawalan ng pakpak because the former was their leader and driving force.

Although natigil ang performance ng grupo for over two years dahil sa pandemya, they’re back in the grind at katatapos lamang nila ng kanilang successful series of shows in the US kasama ang concert queen-producer na si Pops Fernandez. Ang kanilang “Four Kings and A Queen” ay matutunghayan sa Newport Performing Arts Theater ng Resorts World Manila ngayong August 16 & 27, 2022 at 8 p.m., a rare performance that their fans should not miss.

Bukod kasi sa kanilang respective hits and other songs, silang apat nina Hajji, Rey at Marco ay may duet with Pops who also is producing the two-night concert under her own DSL Productions which she took over from her mom, and dating actress na si Dulce Lukban.

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Aster Amoyo