Pío Leiva (May 5, 1917 – March 22, 2006) was a
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
n singer and the author of the
guaracha
The guaracha () is a genre of music that originated in Cuba, of rapid tempo and comic or picaresque lyrics. The word has been used in this sense at least since the late 18th and early 19th century. Guarachas were played and sung in musical the ...
''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 born as Wilfredo Leiva Pascual in
Morón, Cuba
Morón is a city and a municipality in Ciego de Ávila Province in central Cuba. It is one of ten municipalities in the province, and is the second in importance and the oldest. Morón is the closest city to the tourist resorts on Cayo Coco and ...
in 1917. He won a
bongo contest at the age of six and made his singing debut in 1932. He recorded over 25 albums since he signed his first contract with
RCA Victor
RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...
in 1950. Leyva sang with other Cuban artists such as
Benny Moré
Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré Gutiérrez (24 August 1919 – 19 February 1963), better known as Benny Moré (also spelled Beny Moré), was a Cuban singer, bandleader and songwriter. Due to his fluid tenor voice and his great expressivity, he was ...
,
Bebo Valdés and
Noro Morales and was a member of
Estrellas de Areito and "
Compay Segundo
Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz Telles (18 November 1907 – 13 July 2003), known professionally as "Compay Segundo", was a Cuban trova guitarist, singer and composer.
Biography
Compay (meaning ''compadre'') Segundo, so called because he was a ...
y Sus Muchachos."
Fellow musician
Barbarito Torres said of Leyva: "Pio has always been a famous singer in Cuba. I've always admired him, not just for his talent, but because of his great personality. He's the inspiration."
Leyva took part in the 2004 film ''
Música Cubana'', which was marketed as a sequel to ''
Buena Vista Social Club''.
Death
Leyva died of a heart attack, on March 22, 2006. He was 88 years old.
References
External links
PBS Biography
1917 births
2006 deaths
Buena Vista Social Club
People from Morón, Cuba
Son cubano singers
Guaracha singers
Guaracha songwriters
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