Rafael Hernández

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 Tanto," "Cachita," and "Silencio," have been recorded by many Latin artists throughout the years: El Gran Combo, Trío Matamoros, Pedro Flores, Tito Puente, Ernesto Lecuona, Daniel Santos, Xavier Cugat, and Pérez Prado. ~ John Bush