Biography
La Sonora Matancera
Effective period / Period of releases: 1950 - 2003
Members: Justo Betancourt, Celia Cruz, Daniel Santos, Laito Sureda, José Rosario Chávez, Bienvenido Granda, Calixto Leicea, Lino Frias, Pedro Knight, Carlos M. Díaz, Celio González, Angel Alfonso Furias, Rogelio Martínez, Javier Vasquez, Alberto Beltrán, Carlos Argentino, Sonora Matancera, Nelson Pinedo, Wuelfo, Mario Muñoz Salazar, Rodolfo Hoyos, Myrta Silva, Israel Del Pino, Severino Ramos, Willie (Baby) Rodriguez, Bienvenido León, Gladys Julio, Conjunto Tropicavana, Simon Domingo Esquijarrozza
Initially known as "Septeto Soprano", this Cuban group, created in 1924, adapted its name to "La Sonora Matancera" in 1932. From 1949 to 1950, Myrta Silva (a.k.a. "La Gorda De Oro") was the lead singer in this legendary Cuban salsa-group. Later, on August 3, 1950, Celia Cruz replaced Myrta Silva, who had returned to her native Puerto Rico. Celia Cruz left the group in 1965 only to be re-united 17 years later at a concert at Madison Square Gardens as a tribute to her.After Rogelio Martínez died in 2001, it was the end of La Sonora Matancera.
La Sonora Matancera has been called, by the Guinness Book of World Records, "The group with the longest duration."
Not to be confused with Conjunto Gloria Matancera (with whom they kind of competed, coming from the same town: Matanzas) or Sonora Gloria Matancera.