Celina Gonzalez is one of the great vocalists of Afro-Cuban music. Although little known outside of Cuba, Gonzalez has been a major star in her homeland since the 1940s when she shared a duo with her late husband, Reutillio Dominguez. In the decade before the Cuban Revolution, Gonzalez and Dominguez developed a large following for their vocals... [+] Read More

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The bomba and plena traditions of Puerto Rico's slums were given respectability through the music of Rafael Cortijo (born Rafel Cortijo Verdejo). Inheriting his band, which he renamed Cortijo y su Combo, when bandleader Mario Roman retired in 1954, Cortijo went on to become one of the Caribbean's most successful artists of the 1950s and '60s.... [+] Read More

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Puerto Rican salsero Eddie Santiago has had a long and productive career, recording steadily and frequently since the 1980s and scoring more than a few popular successes. His material has appeared on several major labels, including EMI International, Polygram, and Sony International. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

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On August 9, 1998, Salsa lost one of its greatest singers, Frankie Ruiz, to liver failure, which according to various resources, resulted from complications of the AIDS virus. One of the first to perform in the Salsa Sensual style, Ruiz had played a major role in the resurgence of salsa's popularity in the '70s. A native of Patterson, NJ, Ruiz... [+] Read More

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Singer Johnny Rivera was born and raised in the bosom of a Puerto Rican family settled in New York's Bronx, and studied at Manhattan's Benjamin Franklin High School. After a temporary visit to Puerto Rico, the artist returned to New York, getting involved in the tropical music scene. Johnny Rivera's debut came in a compilation called Noche... [+] Read More

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A multi-talented artist, Marc Anthony (born Marco Antonio Muniz) has balanced an acting career with a musical career. In addition to appearing in films like The Substitute, Big Night, and Hackers, and in Broadway productions such as Paul Simon's Capeman, Anthony rose to the top level of Latino music. The biggest-selling salsa artist of all time,... [+] Read More

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Beautiful Olga Tañon with her seductively smoky voice is considered the queen of Puerto Rican merengue music. She was raised in Levitown Puerto Rico. As a girl, she aspired to be a dancer, and though she had a good voice and sang in church and alone in her room, she was too shy to sing in front of an audience. As a young woman, Tañon started out... [+] Read More

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Cuban born salsero Rey Ruiz has been in the United States since 1992 and has been hailed as the "Elvis of Salsa," by Miami music critics. He got his start after Sony Tropical heard his demo and signed him. Later in 1992, he released his eponymous debut album. With a style reminiscent of the mambo singers of the 1950s, Ruiz soon found himself a... [+] Read More

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Puerto Rican singer Tony Vega got involved in music while participating in a teenage rock band called City Trash. Nevertheless, the young artist was finally captivated by Afro-Caribbean rhythms, especially tropical music, joining Raphy Levitt's la Selecta and working along with Willie Rosario soon afterwards. In 1986, Tony Vega moved to New... [+] Read More

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Wilfrido Vargas (b. Wilfrido Radamés Vargas Martínez, April 24, 1949, Altamira, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic), was a bandleader, trumpeter, vocalist, arranger, composer and producer who was instrumental in making the merengue style a worldwide phenomena. He began his musical studies early, attending the Municipal Academy of Music beginning... [+] Read More

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