Jorge Oñate, born on March 31, 1949, is a Colombian singer-songwriter known as "El Jilguero de América" (America's Goldfinch) and a prominent figure in the vallenato genre. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Oñate gained recognition for his work with groups like Los Guatapurí and Los Hermanos López, releasing several well-received albums throughout the 70s and 80s. Collaborating with accordionists such as Juancho Rois and Alvarito López, Oñate continued to produce hits into the 90s, before partnering with other musicians for a series of classic vallenato records. His final album before his conversion to Christianity in 2018 was "Patrimonio Cultural" (2016), a collaboration with accordionist Alvarito López.

Throughout his career, Jorge Oñate has earned multiple gold and platinum certifications for his extensive discography. Hailing from La Paz, Colombia, Oñate relocated to Bogotá as a teenager and made his recording debut with the album "Festival Vallenato" in 1968. Over the years, he has worked with various renowned accordionists, including Cocha Molina, Julián Rojas, and Cristian Camilo Peña, contributing to the rich tapestry of vallenato music.