NO one could have been happier but Raymond Lauchengco when Megastar Sharon Cuneta gave her nod to guest in the latter’s 40th anniversary concert, Just Got Lucky, last weekend at The Theater at Solaire.

Sharon was in the US and Canada for her Dear Heart concert tour with Gabby Concepcion, but she found time to do a live duet with Raymond.

“Not too many people know that I have the Megastar herself, Sharon Cuneta, to thank for my start in show business. That happened because back in the day, Sharon was a student of my father (his favorite); one and one day, she saw my picture on his desk while she was in his office>>.

“Next thing I knew, she had set up a meeting for me with Boss Vic Del Rosario of Viva Films and soon after, I was cast in her movies and given all these beautiful songs to record under Vicor Records. All because of Sharon.

“But the bigger story is that Sharon was my first serious showbiz crush! I used to go to sleep with my Walkman headphones listening to her songs.

“So can you imagine what a thrill it was for me to finally meet her, act out scenes with her and sing duets with her at her concerts! And to be honest, we had great chemistry together. The chemistry of… brother and sister.

“To this day, with my silver hair and all, she still calls me her baby bro. Despite the unrequited love, Sharon turned out to be the best showbiz Ate ever as she set off a wonderful chain of events that saw me through 40 years all the way to my Just Got Lucky concert last Saturday.

“So naturally, I had to ask her to be a part of my concert since she was the one who discovered me. So I reached out to her and asked. She replied almost immediately saying she really wanted to do it for me, but couldn’t because she would be touring her Dear Heart concert in the US and Canada.

“She could have left it at that and it would have been totally understandable, but because she has such a big heart she came up with an alternative – what if we recorded something together before she left?

“It was my manager, Girlie Rodis, who took that idea a step further and said, make an interactive video duet where Sharon appears on screen and I would sing my parts live.=

“That was going to be tricky though because it meant Sharon would have to both record and then film her parts and we all know how packed her schedules are.

“To my utter surprise, she said yes. She would definitely make time for me. And she did it gratis et amore, because she said she wanted her gift to me to be complete! And what gift it was!

“Come concert night, without anyone in the audience knowing, I thanked Sharon for discovering me and said: So there I was, not knowing what show business had in store for an 18 year old kid with nothing more than a hope and a dream in a world full of stars.

“Then I started to sing a song from a Sharon movie that I was a part of, Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala, which Marvin Querido had rearranged masterfully.

“Stars in a dreamy night sky filled all the screens, beautiful shafts of light poignantly lit the stage, and Sharon appeared as the audience gushed.

“As I sang our virtual duet, my mind was flooded with 40 years of beautiful memories. All the ups and downs, all the starts and stops, and most importantly, God’s faithfulness and guiding hand all through out.

“Memories that would not have even existed without Sharon Cuneta. Thank you, Sharon, for such a selfless, beautiful and perfect gift! Your baby bro loves you!”

Raymond didn’t imagine that Just Got Lucky concert for his 40th year, would still happen. “When the pandemic hit, I thought that was it for me,” he shared. “I would never be able to sing for a live audience again.

“While making art with my hands became the one thing that kept me going, I still felt an almost desperate need to perform again. Was it the singing that I missed, I wondered to myself?

“It was then that I realized it wasn’t even about the singing… it was the people for whom I’d sing. They were the ones I missed – that extra special connection I’d feel with the audiences that I’d sing for. That was what I was missing in my life.

“And because I was so busy exploring other creative pursuits prior to 2020, it took the quietness of all the lockdowns to make me look deep into my core and ask myself what really mattered to me most.

“The answers were my faith and trust in God, my family, and all the people who continue to listen to me, one way or the other, even after 40 years.

“Last Saturday night, my dream of doing a major concert again, something I hadn’t done in years finally came true. And it was so worth the long wait! It was a magical night!

“Not because of me, but because of all the people who came to fill up the Theatre at Solaire, not only with their presence, but with all their love and warmth…the very same people who would save their lunch money to buy my records or watch my movies.

“The same ones who cried to I Need You Back, Saan Darating ang Umaga, and graduated to Farewell…only this time, 40 years later! Thank you so much to everybody who came. The memory of all of you will always put a smile on my face and a song in my heart!

“And because it takes a village to mount a major concert, there are so many people I’d like to thank, but for now, let me start by thanking that beautiful audience I had last November 23 and cry my tears of joy.

Thank you for being a part of my journey these last 40 years and thank you for making my dream concert come true! My 40th anniversary concert may have been called just got lucky, but the truth is that God has blessed me immensely, though all of you!”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Leah C. Salterio