Biography

Johnny Pacheco was born on March 25, 1935 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. He was a composer and actor, known for Carlito's Way (1993), Fires Within (1991) and Like a Boss (2020). He was married to Maria Elena "Cuqui". He died on February 15, 2021 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA.

Moustache

White hair

Founder, with Jerry Masucci, of Fania Records (1964-2005), a major producer and distributor of Latin music in the 1970s, located in New York and Miami.

He played the accordion, clarinet, saxophone, and violin, and studied percussion at the Juilliard School. During the 1950s, he worked in several bands performing what was called Latin music and was a member of the NBC studio orchestra. He later took up the Cuban wooden flute.

His father was a musician and bandleader. The family moved to the Bronx (New York City) when Johnny was 11.