Rodríguez was a member of the musical group El Gran Combo and toured with them all over Latin America and Europe, gaining fame and popularity as a singer.
In addition to his singing capabilities, Rodríguez had great comedic abilities and participated on comedy bits on various TV shows in Puerto Rico.
[2] He was related to Gilberto Concepción de Gracia, the principal founder of the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Independence Party), or PIP.
[4] During the late 1940s and early 1950s Rodríguez also played with Xavier Cugat, José Curbelo and Tito Puente in prestigious dancing venues in New York City such as the Palladium Ballroom, Paramount Theater and China Doll Club.
[5] Rodríguez has two writing credits on the songs Saoco and "El Mantequero", both recorded by Cortijo Y Su Combo between the late 50s and early 60s.
[6] In 1960 Rodríguez moved to Puerto Rico and played with Rafael Elvira's Super Orquesta Tropicana later followed by a short stint with Noro Morales Orchestra before joining El Gran Combo.
For their first album Rodríguez shared lead vocals duties with Leo Pacheco and Carlos El Grande (Calixto Ferrer Pérez).
In 1979 they released a second album where Rodríguez shared lead vocals duties with Leo Pacheco and Freddy Nieto who replaced Carlos El Grande.
[14] While on tour in New York, Rodríguez met a young lady who worked as a secretary for the American Express Company by the name of Elba López Pérez.
In the late 1950s Rodríguez moved with his family to Chicago and Elba gave birth to their third son, Tommy (who followed in Pellin's footsteps and became a salsa singer).
Before he died, he had the pleasure of witnessing the graduation of his first born, Pedro Rodriguez, who earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville while working in NASA.
[15] Pedro became the director of a test laboratory at NASA and invented a portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis.
[17] In the Villa Palmeras neighborhood in Santurce there is a square named "Plaza De Los Salseros" which has a statue and plaque dedicated to Pellin Rodríguez.