American musician, songwriter and record producer (1923-2000)

Tito Puente

Intro
American musician, songwriter and record producer (1923-2000)
Record Labels
Awards Received
National Medal of Arts
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Library of Congress Living Legend
Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award
Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording
Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album
Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album
Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album
Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album
Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Ernest Anthony "Tito" Puente, Jr. (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000) was an American musician of Puerto-Rican descent, songwriter, record producer and bandleader. The son of Ernest and Felicia Puente, stateside Puerto Ricans residing in New York City's Spanish Harlem, Puente is often credited as "The Musical Pope", "El Rey de los Timbales" (The King of the Timbales) and "The King of Latin Music". He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz compositions that endured over a 50-year career. He and his music appear in many films such as The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He guest-starred on several television shows, including Sesame Street and The Simpsons two-part episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?". His most famous song is "Oye Como Va".