One of Pakil's Pride Pianist

LUIS P.VITO (+)

Juan Vito made his wife and relatives promise that they would bring Luis, his only son who was 7 years old then, to the Colegio de Tiples in Manila as he lay dying. When his mother remarried, his grandmother took him to Manila and gave him to the Spanish priests who ran a music school to teach little boys to sing the Latin Mass for the Archbishop’s daily mass offerings.

When Luis turned 15 his voice changed and he could no longer stay in the choir. He was made to choose, be a priest or teach younger children to sing or leave. He chose to leave and joined his mother and step-father. He went to A. Mabini Elementary School and became the official school pianist before classes started and at the end of the day.

One day, his step-father, a trumpet player, was offered to join 6 other musicians to play at a night club in Tsentsin, China. He refused the offer and instead recommended his son, Luis, who then played violin and piano. After couple of rehearsals, he was accepted and they left Manila.

In China, life was tough and cold. He had no warm clothing and packed newspapers in his underclothes to keep warm while walking to work. After brief stint , the group disbanded. Few returned home to Manila. Luis and three others decided they would try their luck in Shanghai where they all went. He immediately got hired as a pianist in a
“Honky Tonk” night club. After several job offers, he finally joined a well-known band.

In the early ‘30’s, the Chinese Civil War(between the Nationalists and Communists) displaced a lot of people. Luis and a room-mate Manuel got caught in the bombings and taken to International Settlement where they found a Filipino family who took them in.
The couple had 7 children, the second was a girl in her teens and still in school. Luis eventually fell in love with her and asked for her hand in marriage. Because of worsening situation, the American Consulate ordered evacuation of Filipino women and children back to the Philippines. Fely’s mother refused to leave. Soon after, Luis and Fely were married at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hongkew. They left Shanghai for Hongkong where Luis was offered to join the Peninsula Hotel band. Their first child, a boy named Reynaldo was born in 1933. Two years later, the couple with their baby returned to Shanghai. Since it was hard to find jobs, Luis decided to form and lead his own band of 7 men. He became successful after the birth of their second child, a girl named Patricia. Luis fondly referred to her as his “good luck” charm.

In 1937, at the height of the Chinese Civil War, strict evacuation of all Filipino women and children was ordered by the American Consulate. The men remained. Many wives did not want to leave without their husbands. So when the last available ship, the President Hoover left, Luis, Fely, their 2 children and Fely’s two brothers were on board with only a small suitcase. Life in Manila then was difficult, so Luis took his family to his hometown in Laguna where they opened a small store and he taught piano.

In 1945, the Americans recaptured the Philippines from the Japanese. Luis went back to Manila with his family. He successfully led his own band and became popularly known as “ LOU VITO”. His band entertained US troops featuring his two children who danced the boogie woogie, samba, rhumba, tango and many more. His band was the last USO band to entertain the wounded. A US Air Force officer offered him to form a big band and play for the Officers Club at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. His 17 piece orchestra had two vocalists. They were there for 6 years (1950-1956). From Guam, Luis returned to the Far East and played at several Hotels and Night Clubs in Manila, Hongkong, Macao and Thailand.

In 1967, Luis and Fely migrated to the United States of America and became citizens after 5 years. Their two children got married and had their own families. They too came to the States and lived with them in San Francisco. Luis became choir director for the Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Occasionally, he would lead small band for local Filipino affairs after one of which caused him to suffer from a massive heart attack. Within 36 hours, he died with his wife and children by his side.

Luis Vito, better known as Lou Vito, was a versatile pianist and respected band leader. He was a good God-fearing man. His body is buried at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery in San Francisco.

by: Fely Lacson Vito &
Dr. Rey Vito (+)