Compay Segundo
Compay Segundo ( born November 18, 1907 in Siboney to Santiago de Cuba, † July 14, 2003 in Havana; actually Máximo Francisco Repilado Múñoz ) was a Cuban musician.
Life
As a boy, learned Segundo guitar, bongos and play clarinet, 1934, he was hired by Nico Saquito and performed in Havana. In 1948 he founded with Lorenzo Hierrezuelo the duo Los Compadres and became famous within a few years. However, this celebrity was limited initially only in Cuba. During his collaboration with Hierrezuelo he got his stage name Compay (of Spanish compadre ) Segundo (Spanish Second ) because he sang the second voice in the duo.
1955 Segundo separated in the dispute of Hierrezuelo, worked at a cigar manufacturer and returned to the music back. Only in 1970 he began to make music and played again on a seven- guitar invented by him, the Armonico. In 1989 he traveled to the USA and introduced his new song, Chan Chan, before. Here is a record company became aware of him and took him under contract.
In 1997, the big breakthrough came the world famous star by initiated by Ry Cooder recording the CD Buena Vista Social Club. 1998 turned Wim Wenders film Buena Vista Social Club, where Segundo as a partner of Ry Cooder became the main character. The success was huge, and Segundo was at the age of 90 years to stardom. In the recording of Segundo Chan Chan also played the congas.
On 14 July 2003 Segundo died of a kidney disease in Havana and was buried in the cemetery Cementerio Santa Iphigenia in Santiago de Cuba.