Enrique Raúl Planas Fernández (September 18, 1920 – February 28, 2001) was a popular Cuban singer and songwriter. He performed and recorded with many bands and musicians, including Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana,

Sonora Matancera La Sonora Matancera is a Cuban band that played Latin American urban popular dance music. Founded in 1924 and led for more than five decades by guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer Rogelio Martínez, musicologists consider it an icon of ...

, Celia Cruz, Conjunto Rumbavana, Conjunto Chappottín, Charanga Rubalcaba, Rubén González, and the Afro-Cuban All Stars.

Early life

Raúl Planas was born in

Camajuaní Camajuaní is a municipality and town in the Villa Clara Province of Cuba. History In 1819 was decided the construction of a new port in near Caibarién to replace an old one located in Tesisco. From that moment, settlers established in the su ...

Villa Clara province Villa Clara is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is located in the central region of the island bordering with the Atlantic at north, Matanzas Province by west, Sancti Spiritus Province by east, and Cienfuegos Province on the South. Villa Clar ...

, Cuba on September 18, 1920. At thirteen, he joined a number of ''

son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

'' groups in his native town, such as Benito De Amas, Cervantes en Remedios and others, and developed into a prominent singer in both ''son'' and ''

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

'' styles.

Career

During the 1940s, Planas moved to Havana, where he joined the Juanito Roger ensemble, the Ernesto Duarte orchestra, and Carlos Barbería´s Kubavana jazz-band as a singer. He toured extensively with

and Celia Cruz, in both America and Europe, and made several recordings for the

Puchito Puchito Records was Cuba's second independent record label. It was founded in 1954 during the mambo and cha-cha-chá explosion. Many of its recordings, produced by its founder Jesús Gorís, became instant hits. History Early career of Puc ...

Panart Panart was one of the first and most successful independent record labels in Cuba, founded in 1944 by engineer Ramón Sabat. In 1961, its studios were seized by Fidel Castro's communist regime and the label was nationalized, becoming "Panart Nacio ...

and RCA Victor record labels, including with Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía, directed by Roberto Puente, in 1959. In 1966, Planas joined the Rumbavana ensemble (founded in 1955), sharing vocals with Fernando González and Guido Soto. Under the direction of

Joseíto González Joseíto González (November 1, 1940 – April 3, 1997) was a Cuban pianist and director of Conjunto Rumbavana. He was a teacher of Adalberto Álvarez and a member of the late Orquesta Riverside. Biography Born in Matanzas on November 1, ...

, the Rumbavana ensemble released a series of successful recordings by the EGREM label and a number of radio broadcasting studios. During this period and into the 1970s, Planas sang on many hits, such as "Te invito un momento" and "Te traigo mi son cubano". In 1982, he joined the Conjunto Tropicuba, sharing vocals at one point with Felix Baloy, and then the Conjunto Chappottín. Later on, he became a member of the Rubalcaba Orchestra. As a solo artist he released his first solo album, ''Señor del son'', in the 1980s through Siboney. In the early 1990s, he formed part of Félix Reina's charanga. After turning independent, he guested on recordings such as the CD entitled ''Pasaporte'' (winner of the EGREM Great Award in 1994), with

Tata Güines Federico Arístides Soto Alejo (June 30, 1930 – February 4, 2008), better known as Tata Güines, was a Cuban percussionist, bandleader and arranger. He was widely regarded as a master of the conga drum, and alongside Carlos "Patato" Valdés, inf ...

and Miguel "Angá" Díaz. In 1994, Planas and Radio Progreso announcer Eduardo Rosillo approached retired pianist Rubén González—with whom Planas had already recorded the album ''Dos Grandes'' five years earlier—with the idea of recording new versions of ten songs composed by fellow Cuban pianist Lilí Martínez.Rosillo, Eduardo (1999). Sleeve notes from ''Son Inconcluso'' (in Spanish). EGREM Records CD0334. (1999). The resulting album, ''Son Inconcluso'', featured a full band including bassist

Orlando "Cachaíto" López Candelario Orlando López Vergara (February 2, 1933 – February 9, 2009), better known as Cachaíto, was a Cuban bassist and composer, who gained international fame after his involvement in the Buena Vista Social Club recordings. He was nick ...

and Arturo "Alambre dulce" Harvey (ex-'' tresero'' with Conjunto Chappottín), among others, and was released in 1999 by

EGREM EGREM (Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales, Spanish for ''Enterprise of Recordings and Musical Editions'') is the national record label of Cuba. It is headquartered in Centro Habana, where its main record studios (''Estudios Areito'' 101 ...

. In 1996, Planas joined the Afro-Cuban All Stars project directed by

Juan de Marcos González Juan de Marcos González (born Juan de Marcos González-Cárdenas; January 29, 1954) is a Cuban bandleader, musician and actor, best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club and in the 2021 Sony Pictures Animation film '' Vivo'' as the ...

, and participated in the recording of ''

A Toda Cuba le Gusta ''A Toda Cuba le Gusta'' is the first studio album by the Afro-Cuban All Stars, produced by Cuban bandleader and musician Juan de Marcos González and Nick Gold, and released on April 9, 1997 on World Circuit Records. This album was the first ...

'', which was nominated for the 1997 Grammy Awards. This album again featured Rubén González and Orlando "Cachaíto" López, along with a big band of veteran Cuban musicians and singers such as

Ibrahim Ferrer Ibrahim Ferrer (February 20, 1927 – August 6, 2005) was a Cuban singer who played with Los Bocucos for nearly forty years. He also performed with Conjunto Sorpresa, Chepín y su Orquesta Oriental and Mario Patterson. After his retirement in ...

Pío Leyva Pío Leiva (May 5, 1917 – March 22, 2006) was a Cuban singer and the author of the guaracha ''El Mentiroso'' ("The Liar"). Leyva was part of the Buena Vista Social Club, and composed some of Cuba’s best known standards. Biography Leyva was bor ...

, Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, and Félix Baloy. It was the first album recorded during the consecutive sessions that would also deliver the albums ''

Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club is an ensemble of Cuban musicians established in 1996. The project was organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González. They named the gr ...

'' and '' Introducing...Rubén González''. Planas also wrote songs such as: "Baila Francisca",Sleeve notes from ''Te Invito Un Momento'', EGREM CD 0072. (1995). "Dicharachos Criollos", "Maria Del Carmen",Sleeve notes from ''Conjunto Rumbavana/Raúl Planas – Reencuentro Entre Soneros'', EGREM LP LD–349. (1987) "Me Voy a Poner Pa' Tí", "Que Buenas Son", "Quiéreme Mucho Caridad", "Se Me Fue Mi Negrita",Sleeve notes from ''Dos Grandes: Raúl Planas & Rubén González / Con la Orquesta Jorrín'', EGREM CD 0392. (2000). and "Sola Estás". Planas died at his home in Pueblo Nuevo,

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

on February 28, 2001..

Selected discography

As primary artist

* ''Señor del son'' (Siboney, 1980s) * ''Te Invito Un Momento'' (EGREM, 1995) * ''Para Todos Los Tiempos'' (Orun, 2002) – Recorded in 2000 * ''Tumbayaya'' (EGREM, 2004)Sleeve notes from ''Tumbayaya'', Havana Nites CD HN011. (2004). * ''La Vida Es Un Sueño'' (Connector, 2009)

With Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana

* ''Que Tienes Titina?'' (Panart, 1950s) * ''A Toda Cuba Le Gusta'' (Caney CCD 505, 1995) – Recorded in 1958-1959. Planas sings on tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16Sleeve notes from ''Orquesta Kubavana – A Toda Cuba Le Gusta'', Caney CCD 505. (1995). * ''Perlas Cubanas: Yo Soy Caguairán'' (Vintage Music, 2014)

With Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía

* ''Perlas Cubanas: Raúl Planas y Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía'' (Vintage Music, 2014)

With Conjunto Rumbavana

* ''Reencuentro Entre Soneros'' (EGREM, 1987)

With Charanga Rubalcaba

* ''Fundadores Del Sabor'' (1995) – Planas sings on tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12Sleeve notes from ''Fundadores Del Sabor'', DISCMEDI CD DM210CD. (1995).

With Tata Güines & Miguel "Angá" Díaz

* ''Pasaporte'' (Enja, 1994) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Pasaporte'', Enja Enj–9019 2. (1994).

With Rubén González

* ''Dos Grandes: Raúl Planas & Rubén González / Con la Orquesta Jorrín'' (EGREM, 2000) – Recorded in 1989 * ''Son Inconcluso'' (EGREM, 1999) – Recorded in 1994; reissued as ''Trilogía De Boleros'' in 2002 on the Exotica labelSleeve notes from ''Trilogía De Boleros'' Exotica, EXTC018. (2002).

With Afro-Cuban All Stars

* ''

'' (World Circuit, 1997)

Compilations

* ''Son Del Mundo'' (EGREM, 2000) – Planas sings on "Como Siento Yo" and "Juancito Trucupey"Sleeve notes from ''Son Del Mundo'', EGREM CD 0393. (2000). * ''De Cuba Son: Roots of Buena Vista'' (EGREM, 2000) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer" and "A Mi Manera"Sleeve notes from ''De Cuba Son: Roots of Buena Vista'', EGREM CD 0397. (2000). * ''Cuban Superstars'' (Direct Source, 2004) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Cuban Superstars'', Direct Source. (2004). * ''Cuban All Stars - Volume 2'' (Connector, 2010) – Planas sings on "Los Herederos"Sleeve notes from ''Cuban All Stars - Volume 2'', Connector. (2010). * ''Th'is Cuba: Hot Cuban Music'' (Promo Sound, 2011) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Th'is Cuba: Hot Cuban Music'', Promo Sound CD 6509/1. (2011). * ''Best of Buena Vista'' (Arc Music, 2012) – Planas sings on tracks 5, 9, 12, 17Sleeve notes from ''Best of Buena Vista'', Arc Music CD EUCD2410. (2012). * ''El Gran Tesoro de la Musica Cubana, Vol.1'' (2013) – Planas sings on "Soy Hijo del Siboney"