Why Gary V. thanks Jo

Gary Valenciano credits the late musician Jo Ramos for hooking him up with his long-time musical director, Mon Faustino. “I will forever be grateful to her for that,” the singer said. Jo, daughter of former President Fidel V. Ramos, succumbed to lung cancer complications on Monday morning at age 54.

Gary said Jo, godmother to his second son Gabriel, joined him in “out-of-town concerts” in the ’80s. Jo founded and was artistic director of the band Powerplay. “Sometimes we would talk about Jesus,” Gary said. “It was [refreshing] to talk to a person who had every right to boast about her position at the time, but from whom I never heard a word about her being the daughter of the top government official.” Marinel R. Cruz