Willie Rosario

Description

Willie Rosario a.k.a. "Mr. Afinque" (born May 6, 1930 in Coamo, Puerto Rico) is a musician, composer and bandleader of salsa music. <p>Rosario (born Fernando Luis Rosario Marin) was raised in a poor but, hard working family. His parents realized that as a child Willie was musically inclined and had him take guitar lessons at the age of 6. He received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. His mother also had him take saxophone classes, however what he really was interested in was the conga. In 1946, he formed a band called Coamex but, a year later when he was 17 years old, his family to moved to New York City. The family rented an apartment in a Manhattan ghetto known as Spanish Harlem. <p>Rosario came into contact and played the conga for various orchestras. After he graduated from high school he continued his education and studied journalism and public relations. On one occasion Rosario visited the famed Palladium Ball Room in New York, where Tito Puente was playing...