Beny Moré is the greatest singer of popular music Cuba has ever produced. Think Frank Sinatra or Nat "King" Cole and you'll get an idea of how he's perceived in Cuba, and how he should be regarded elsewhere. In the 40 years since his death, no Cuban vocalist has emerged to fill his shoes, and he remains as close as ever to the hearts of the... [+] Read More

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The best and longest preserved of the Mexican cancion ranchera singers, Chavela Vargas began singing rather late in life -- past the age of thirty -- but continued well into old age, charming audiences until she was well into her 70s. Born in Costa Rica in 1919, she first sang on a professional level in the early '50s, and toured with the... [+] Read More

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Mexican singer and actor Cornelio Reyna (born Cornelio Reyna Cisneros) worked as a bricklayer before turning into traditional music, mainly influenced by local star José Alfredo Jiménez. At the age of 16, he started playing bajo sexto, a popular bass guitar that superficially resembles a 12-string guitar. In 1960, the promising musician met... [+] Read More

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With her expressive vocals, Lola Beltrán brought ranchera or mariachi music from the barrios of Mexico to the international stage. During the four decades that she was active, Beltrán recorded more than 70 tunes with many achieving gold record status. Her hits included such classic tunes as "Huapango Torero," "La Cigarra," and "Paloma Negra." In... [+] Read More

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Mexico's most famous ranchera singer, Lucha Villa earned more notice than Lola Beltran thanks to a long, successful film career in addition to her recording work. Born in the Chihuahua state town of Ciudad Camargo in the mid-'30s, young Luz Elena Bejarano entered a number of talent contests and was dubbed Lucha Villa by television producer Luis... [+] Read More

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An early émigré to East Harlem from his native Puerto Rico, Rafael Hernández did much to develop the Latin musical community in America during the 1920s and '30s, both through his popular songwriting and his leading of a renowned string quartet. His compositions, including "Lamento Borincano," "Amor Ciego," "El Cumbanchero," "No Me Quieras... [+] Read More

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Argentinean pop balladist Sandro was born Roberto Sánchez in August 19, 1945. His passion for music came when he was a child, loving to imitate the king of rock, Elvis Presley. In 1960, Sandro formed his first band, called Trio Azul. When Agustín Mónaco left that act, it became a short-term duet called los Caribes. Soon after, the singer was... [+] Read More

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