Cuban music stars who deceased at age 73
Here are 11 famous musicians from Cuba died at 73:
Andarín Carvajal
Andarín Carvajal (March 18, 1875 Cuba-January 27, 1949) was a Cuban personality.
He was a folk hero known for his extraordinary endurance and feats of athleticism. Carvajal gained international fame after competing in the 1904 Olympics, where he finished fourth in the marathon despite running in heavy boots that he had received from a fellow competitor after his own shoes fell apart mid-race. He was also known for racing against horses and cars, often covering great distances on foot as a pedestrian. Despite his athletic abilities, Carvajal lived a modest life as a fruit seller and struggled financially for much of his life. He died in poverty at the age of 73. In Cuba, he remains a beloved and legendary figure, and his story has been the subject of books, films, and songs.
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Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso
Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso (February 21, 1861 Havana-April 11, 1934 Havana) was a Cuban politician and lawyer.
He served as the President of Cuba from 1921-1925. Prior to his presidency, Zayas y Alfonso was a prominent lawyer who defended many individuals who fought for Cuban independence from Spain. He also served as a member of the Cuban House of Representatives and was a senator in the Cuban Senate. During his presidency, Zayas y Alfonso worked to improve Cuba's infrastructure, education system, and healthcare. He also helped negotiate a treaty with the United States that established better economic relations between the two countries. After his presidency, Zayas y Alfonso continued to practice law and was an advocate for human rights and democracy in Cuba.
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Tomás Estrada Palma
Tomás Estrada Palma (July 9, 1835 Bayamo-November 4, 1908 Santiago de Cuba) a.k.a. Tomas Estrada Palma was a Cuban politician and lawyer.
He played a crucial role in the Cuban War of Independence against Spain and served as the first President of the Republic of Cuba from 1902 to 1906. Palma led the fight against Spanish rule and was a close ally of José Martí, the leader of the Cuban Revolution. In 1898, he represented the Cuban Revolutionary Party in New York during negotiations with the United States in order to gain support for the independence movement. Following the United States' intervention in the war, Palma was elected the first president of Cuba. During his presidency, he focused on rebuilding the country's economy and infrastructure, including the construction of new roads and railways. His administration also faced challenges including a major national debt and political corruption. Palma survived two assassination attempts during his presidency before ultimately resigning in 1906. He passed away two years later in Santiago de Cuba.
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Alfredo Boloña
Alfredo Boloña (December 24, 1890 Havana-April 5, 1964 Havana) was a Cuban guitarist and musician.
He was renowned in Cuba as a virtuoso of the classical guitar and is considered one of the pioneers of the instrument in his country. Boloña studied at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Havana and later received a scholarship to study in Paris. He returned to Cuba and became a professor at the conservatory, where he trained a generation of young guitarists. Boloña was also a composer and arranger, and his works have been performed by famous musicians all over the world. In addition to his music career, he was also a respected scholar of Cuban music and culture. Boloña was awarded several honors, including the Cuban Medal of Merit in recognition of his contributions to music. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest classical guitarists in Cuban history.
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Rafael Banquells
Rafael Banquells (June 25, 1917 Havana-October 27, 1990 Mexico City) also known as Rafael Banquells Garafulla, Rafael Banquells (I) or Rafael Banquels was a Cuban actor, television director, businessperson and television producer. His children are called Rocío Banquells, Sylvia Pasquel, Ariadne Banquells, Rafael Banquells Hijo, Jose Manuel Banquells and Mary Paz Banquells.
Throughout his career, Rafael Banquells appeared in over 60 films, including "Romeo y Julieta" (1943), "El Gran Calavera" (1949), and "El Revoltoso" (1951). In addition to his acting work, he also directed several telenovelas, such as "Marianela" (1972) and "El Extraño Retorno de Diana Salazar" (1988).
Banquells was also a successful businessperson, owning a chain of restaurants in Mexico City, as well as a production company called "Artistas Asociados". He produced popular telenovelas such as "Los Ricos También Lloran" (1979) and "Cuna de Lobos" (1986).
After a career spanning over five decades, Rafael Banquells passed away in Mexico City at the age of 73 due to complications from a stroke. He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the early days of Mexican television and film.
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Antonio Benítez Rojo
Antonio Benítez Rojo (March 14, 1931 Havana-January 5, 2005) also known as Antonio Benitez-Rojo, Antonio Benítez or Antonio Benítez Rojo was a Cuban novelist, essayist and writer.
Benítez Rojo was a widely recognized literary figure in the Latin American and Spanish-speaking world. He was a professor of Caribbean and Latin American studies at Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he taught for over two decades. He was also a guest professor at numerous universities across the world, including Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris.
In addition to his teaching and writing, Benítez Rojo was an active member of the literary community. He was an early advocate for Latino literature and helped establish the literary magazine, Revista Casa de las Americas. His work often explored themes of identity, history, and colonialism in the Caribbean, making him a prominent contributor to postcolonial studies.
Among his most notable works are "The Repeating Island", "Sea of Lentils", and "A View from the Mangrove". He received numerous literary awards, including the Casa de las Américas Prize, the National Prize for Literature of Cuba, and the Guggenheim Fellowship.
Benítez Rojo's legacy continues to influence and inspire scholars and writers across the world.
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Octavio Cortázar
Octavio Cortázar (January 19, 1935 Havana-February 27, 2008 Madrid) a.k.a. Octavio Cortázar Jiménez was a Cuban film director, screenwriter and film producer.
He began his career in the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), where he directed several award-winning documentaries. Cortázar later moved to Spain, where he continued to work in the film industry.
His directorial debut feature film "The Seven Faces of Women" (1964) was awarded the Best First Work Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. He went on to direct several films including "The Creative Madness" (1969), "Sound of Trumpets" (1976), and "The Castilian" (1982).
Cortázar also worked as a screenwriter and film producer, collaborating with other renowned directors such as Alejandro Amenábar and Pedro Almodóvar. He was the writer of the script for the Almodóvar-directed film "Live Flesh" (1997).
Throughout his career, Cortázar received several awards and recognitions for his contributions to the film industry, including the Cuban National Film Award in 2005.
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Puntillita
Puntillita (January 4, 1927 Holguín-December 4, 2000 Havana) also known as Manuel Licea, Puntillita Licea, Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, Mañuel \"Puntillita\" Licea, Licea, Mañuel "Puntillita", Licea, Manuel "Puntillita", Puntillita, Manuel Licea Lamouth or Manuel "Puntillita" Licea was a Cuban musician and singer.
Puntillita was known for his unique style of singing known as 'son a la loma', a style associated with the eastern region of Cuba. He began his music career in the 1940s, performing with various groups in Holguín before moving to Havana in the 1950s. Puntillita gained popularity in the 1990s as part of the Buena Vista Social Club, a group of veteran Cuban musicians. He was featured in the documentary of the same name, which brought him international recognition. Apart from his career in music, Puntillita was also known for his love of baseball and had played professionally in his youth.
He died caused by pneumonia.
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René Portocarrero
René Portocarrero (February 24, 1912 Havana-April 27, 1985 Havana) was a Cuban costume designer, artist and visual artist.
Portocarrero is best known for his unique style of painting which combined Afro-Cuban and European influences. His paintings often featured brilliant colors, bold lines, and fragmented forms that depict Afro-Caribbean rhythms and culture. In addition to his art, Portocarrero also worked as a costume designer for theater and ballet productions in Havana. He was a prominent figure in the Cuban art scene and his paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries around the world. Today, his works can be found in prominent museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana, and the Vatican Museum in Rome.
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Eliseo Diego
Eliseo Diego (July 2, 1920 Havana-March 1, 1994 Mexico City) was a Cuban poet. He had one child, Eliseo Alberto.
Diego was a major figure in the Cuban literary scene, known for his skillful use of language and his experimentation with various literary forms. In addition to poetry, he wrote novels, essays, and screenplays. He was an active participant in the literary group Orígenes, which included other notable Cuban writers such as José Lezama Lima and Virgilio Piñera. Diego received numerous literary awards throughout his career, including Cuba's National Prize for Literature in 1986. He left Cuba in 1990 and settled in Mexico City, where he continued to write until his death in 1994. His work continues to be celebrated both in Cuba and around the world for its lyrical beauty and emotional depth.
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Julián Acuña Galé
Julián Acuña Galé (February 27, 1900 Camagüey-June 24, 1973 Mexico City) was a Cuban botanist.
He studied at the University of Havana and later went on to receive his doctorate degree in the United States. Acuña Galé became a professor at the University of Havana, where he taught botany for several decades. He was also the director of the Botanical Garden of Havana for many years. Acuña Galé is credited with discovering and identifying many new species of plants, particularly in the Cuban flora. He published numerous articles and books on the topic of botany and was considered one of the foremost experts in his field. After the Cuban Revolution, Acuña Galé left Cuba and moved to Mexico, where he continued to work as a researcher and professor until his death in 1973.
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