MANILA, Philippines—Versatile musician Toti Fuentes passed away on Thursday in the United States after battling cancer for the last six years. He was 55.

Born in Cagayan de Oro City, Fuentes—named after his father Francisco and the second of eight siblings—received musical training at an early age. At 6, he learned to play the piano. His parents saw the prodigy in him and sent him to the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music for college.

He also entered the seminary, but realized music was his calling.

Determined to pursue a professional career as a musician, Fuentes hooked up with Rico J. Puno, then an aspiring Taglish folk singer beginning to build a reputation at Spindle, a folk club, in 1974. When Puno broke into the pop scene, Fuentes became his regular pianist in concerts and recordings.

Fuentes also did session work with the Apo Hiking Society, Hajji Alejandro, Basil Valdez, Pilita Corrales and other popular artists.

By 1978, Toti was evolving as a jazz musician and wanted to get to “the source,” as he called it. He went to the US, where he spent the next 20 years as a working musician—performing with Natalie Cole, Anita Baker, Julia Fordham, Aretha Franklin, Andy Williams and many others.

Fuentes spent several years as a session musician in Los Angeles, hoping to play with his idol, Sergio Mendes. When they finally met, it didn’t take long for Mendes to ask Fuentes to join him on a concert tour.

He also conducted the North Dakota Symphony Orchestra and the Louisville Pops Symphony Orchestra.

In 1999, Fuentes was diagnosed with a rare tumor in the stomach, which he battled with an experimental treatment administered by a hospital in Chicago where he had been residing.

The cancer had been in remission when he was in Manila in October last year for a series of shows with singer Ana Fegi.

“But even now,” Fuentes told the Inquirer then, “I feel death follows me all around. On the other hand, I have more angels of life around me as well. When I have to be rushed to the hospital, these angels come to my rescue.”

Early this year, Fuentes was back in Manila as bandleader in British singer-songwriter Julia Fordham’s Valentine shows at the Ayala malls. Two weeks ago, he performed with former Sergio Mendes vocalist Kevyn Lettau on the last night of the week-long 3rd Philippine International Jazz Festival.

“He was dedicated to his craft. He always had time to listen and give breaks to singers,” said Richard Merk, one of Fuentes’ many friends in the local music industry.

“He had many dreams,” said Bibsy Carballo, Fuentes’ manager. “He always told me he couldn’t die because he had so many things to do. He wanted to help disadvantaged and sick children through his foundation, Hope for the World.”

Fuentes is survived by his Polish-American wife Jodi and sons Damien and Xavier.