Ruben Tagalog

Ruben Tagalog is a Filipino actor and musician, famous for his works in the Kundiman style. He is also a part of the Mabuhay Singers. He first caught the attention of radio listeners in the '40s when he hosted his own radio program, "Harana ni Ruben Tagalog." His baritone voice filled his songs "Ramona", "Sayang", "Azucena" and "Nasaan Ka Ngayon" with emotion. He revived danzas and balitaws like "Nahan Kaya Ikaw", "Bakit Ka Lumuluha", "Barong Tagalog", "Dalagang Pilipina" and "Caprichosa." He was the first artist to record "Bayan Ko" and "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit".

In spite of his last name being "Tagalog", he was actually a Visayan from Iloilo and was a speaker of the Visayan language Hiligaynon (aka Ilonggo). He released at least two Cebuano Visayan albums. "Ruben Tagalog sings Visayan Songs" and a duet album with Cebuana singer Nora Hermosa called "Duet In Visayan".

In the early 1950s he became the first to popularize the Tagalog version of the 1933 Visayan Christmas carol "Kasadya Ning Takna-a" as "Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit". The Tagalog lyrics were written by Levi Celerio.