Johnny Pacheco

Über Johnny Pacheco

Johnny Pacheco is the most globally influential musician the Dominican Republic ever produced, though the music he built carries a Cuban accent. Born in Santiago de los Caballeros and raised in New York, he co-founded Fania Records in 1964 and served as its musical director, assembling the Fania All-Stars and shaping the sound that the world came to call salsa. As flautist, bandleader, arranger, and talent scout he stood behind Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, and a generation of stars.