By Bryle B. Suralta
Filipino rock and roll pioneer William Feliciano “Pepe” Smith died on Monday, January 28, at the age of 71, his daughter Daisy Smith-Owen confirmed on a Facebook post earlier this morning.
“Thank you for everything papa bear ko. Thank you for being the best dad in the world. I know you’re in the best place now, no more pains papa.. i will see you in few days. I love you to the moon and back,” Daisy wrote in her post.
Smith rose to prominence as part of the Juan de la Cruz band, joining Mike Hanopol and Wally Gonzales in the beginning of the ’70s. The group created the iconic sound for the genre that came to be known as “Pinoy Rock.” The band was responsible for hits such as “Beep Beep,” “Maskara,” Mamasyal Sa Pilipinas” and “Himig Natin.”
It was legendary Japanese guitarist Shinki Chen who discovered Pepe during a performance at a shopping center in Yokohama, Japan. Smith would later join bassist Masayoshi “Glue” Kabe and guitarist Shinki as the singer-drummer for the trio Speed, Glue & Shinki, which is regarded by many as the act that set the standard for Japanese psychedelic rock.
PeopleAsia recognized the frontman’s contributions to the Philippine rock and roll industry back in 2011, when he was named one of the magazine’s Men Who Matter awardees.
“I would do the same thing all over again. I just want to lay back, think of all the good times and also the bad times, put them all together and throw ‘em away,” the then-63-year-old rocker said.
Smith was named “Best Rock Performer” at the Aliw Awards in 1978 and was the NU 107 Rock Awards’ Legend Awardee in 1994. Pepe, along with his Juan de la Cruz bandmates, also won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Awit Awards in 2007.
The Juan de la Cruz band singer and songwriter suffered his third stroke back in 2017, which left him with a speech impediment. On September 17, 2018, it was reported that Smith had underwent gallbladder surgery at the Philippine General Hospital.
*This article will be updated once more details emerge.
