César Portillo de la Luz (October 31, 1922 – May 4, 2013) was a Cuban musician, lyricist and composer. Born in Havana, Cuba, Portillo is credited with founding the '' filin'' music genre. ''
The Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe countie ...
'' described Portillo as "a fundamental author of Latin American music" and "one of Cuba's most celebrated composers". Portillo is also cited as "the most distinguished lyricist of his generation" and "one of the most prolific Cuban composers of the twentieth century".
Early life
Born on October 31, 1922 in Havana, Cuba to a cigar-roller, Portillo taught himself play the guitar. At first, he painted houses to earn his living and supplemented his income by giving guitar lessons. In 1946, he made his debut as a professional guitar player on radio. A weekly slot on
Radio Mil Diez
Radio Mil Diez (or Radio 1010) was a radio station broadcasting from Havana, Cuba, owned by the Popular Socialist Party (PSP). Radio Mil Diez broadcast for five years, between 1943 and 1948, and played an important role in shaping contemporary Cu ...
followed, which increased his popularity.
Career and death
Portillo had his own show titled ''Feeling Season''. Portillo received international prominence after his 1946 romance song " Contigo en la Distancia" ("With You in the Distance") was performed by Andy Russell. Portillo never revealed the identity of the woman who supposedly inspired him to write "Contigo en la Distancia". He is credited with founding the '' filin'' music genre, which was popular in the 1950s. Starting from the 1940s to the 1950s, Portillo actively performed at bars and clubs. More than a hundred different cover versions of his songs have been recorded internationally.
Portillo was awarded the Premio Latino a Toda Una Vida by the Spanish Academy of the Arts and Lyrics of Music at a ceremony held in Madrid in 2004. His songs like "Contigo en la distancia", "Tú mi delirio", "Sabrosón", "Noche cubana", "Realidad y Fantasía" and "Canción de un festival" have been performed by many well-established artists worldwide, including
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and
Lucho Gatica
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. He died on May 4, 2013, in
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. In accordance with Portillo's requests, his body was cremated.
See also
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Music of Cuba
The music of Cuba, including its instruments, performance, and dance, comprises a large set of unique traditions influenced mostly by west African and European (especially Spanish) music. Due to the syncretic nature of most of its genres, Cuban ...