The Worlds First Salsa Singer To…

From the 1930′s to the 1950′s, Cuban music was constantly evolving into new styles of music. At the same time, Puerto Ricans were creating their own styles influenced by African American music and hints of tango and jazz among several others. It was at this point when Mambo became famous across the United States and Latin musicians created a style of music we all know as Salsa music today.

Because Salsa music is a derivative of so many other genre’s combined, there’s no possible way to know who the first Salsa singer was, but there were some true innovators such as Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe.

BUT!

There are lots of Salsa singers who were the first to accomplish something nobody else has.

Gilberto Santa Rosa
In 1995, Gilberto Santa Rosa became the first Puerto Rican salsa singer to perform at the Carnegie Hall Theater in New York. His opening song was his own rendition of the Lou Briel song, “Represento.” The entire performance was recorded live and then released as an album.

Marc Anthony
New York City native, Marc Anthony released his third album, “Contra La Corriete” in 1997 and that same year, became the first Salsa singer to sell out Madison Square Garden. He was also the first Salsa singer to have an album on the Billboard 200.

Yuri Buenaventura
After recording an album that left Yuri Buenaventura completely broke, he returned to France in 1996. He then talked one of his very close friends into funding another album, titled “Herencia Africana,” which contained an interpretation of the “Ne Me Quitte Pas,” which went hot and put Buenaventura in the books as the first Salsa singer to obtain gold record status in France.

Lalo Rodriguez
Lalo Rodriguez recorded with Eddy Palmieri’s orchestra in 1973. The album, “Sun Of The Latin Music” won a Grammy, making a then 16 year old Rodriguez the first Salsa singer to ever win a Grammy prize.

Ruben Blades
Ruben Blades is considered an icon in Panama, from which he emigrated in 1974 to Manhattan, New York. From here he became known as a talented songwriter who had created a style of singing all his own. He then made a name for himself as the first salsa singer to have written his own music.

Robby Ameen
Robby Ameen grew up in Connecticut and later moved to New York where he began recording with Dave Valentin and Ruben Blades. He joined the band, Seis del Solar, making him the first Salsa drummer, yes I said drummer, to work full-time with a Salsa band. So I guess this is also makes Ruben Blades another “first salsa singer.”

Anita Benner
According to Anita Benner’s bio on the website of the current band she is a member of, Los Bad Apples, she is considered one of Austin’s first Salsa singers. This was when she became the lead singer of a 12-piece salsa band named Moreno Flor.
Don’t Stop – Muevelo!

Nabori
Ok, so Nabori is a Salsa band, but I think they deserve a spot on this page too. They have been named the Best Salsa band of both 2007 and 2008 and the first salsa band to achieve state-wide recognition as the World’s Best Group of 2007.
Son Como Son

DisLOCAdos
I guess you can say that both Karolina Patocki and Lesya Zdorovetskaya of DisLOCAdos are the first Salsa singers of the Ukraine. The 11-piece band that they sing in is considered to be the first of the Genre there.

Angel Carrión

In 1994, Angel Carrión released his third album of his career, “Historias de Azul o Gris.” Among the many hits he already had from his previous albums, this new one had several more and turned him into the first Salsa singer to ever record a full CD in the pop genre.

Sonido Criminal
Sonido Criminal is another Salsa band to have made the history books. For Tito Nieves 35th anniversary concert on June 13, 2009, Nieves invited the band to join him. This make them the first Salsa band to ever perform at City Hall in Orland, Florida.

Victor Vega
And perhaps the biggest achievement of them all goes to Victor Vega, the self-proclaimed first Salsa singer on YouTube. Now THAT’S a record! No other Salsa singers joined YouTube before October 5th, 2005?