Antonio Machín

Antonio Machín

About Antonio Machín

Antonio Machín (born Antonio Abad Lugo-Machín on February 11, 1903 in Sagua la Grande, Cuba - August 4, 1977 in Madrid, Spain) was a Cuban singer of boleros and ballads. He is best known for singing El Manisero, Dos Gardenias, and Angelitos Negros. His version of El Manisero, recorded in 1930, was the first million record seller for a Cuban artist. His father, Antonio Lugo, was a Spaniard from Galicia and his mother, Leoncia Machín, was a mulata (mixed black with white); he was one of sixteen children. Machín's early years were very difficult and he was forced to work at the age of eight to help pay some of his father's numerous debts. One day, he was in the street by his house singing quietly. A priest that walked by heard him and immediately encouraged him to sing at a party. He sang Ave María by Schubert. From that day on Machin was determined to become a singer. Machín's ambition was to sing opera, but this was very difficult for a poor coloured Cuban at the beginning of the 20th century. Thus, he focused on singing popular music. At the age of twenty he had become the idol of the young women in his neighbourhood. Machín would sing them serenades under the moonlight. He worked as a mason, also travelling across Cuba as a singer. In 1926 he moved to Havana where he met a Spaniard who helped him get a contract to sing at a small cafe in Havana. Living in Havana, Machín was exposed to many kinds of music. He joined several trios, quartets and sextets. One of the most important ones was Trío Luna, which he formed together with Enrique Peláez and Manuel Luna. In 1926 Machín formed a duo with the famous guitar player and singer Miguel Zaballa. They performed at various night clubs and on live radio shows. Their fame was such that in 1927 Don Azpiazu, leader of Orquesta Habana, added the duo to the performances held at the Casino Nacional de La Habana. At the age of 27 Machín became a vocalist at the Casino Nacional of Havana, the first singer of colour ever to do so. The Casino Nacional was the place where one could find upper class Cuban and American landowners, movie stars, millionaires and diplomats, who danced and sought romance.

Taken from Last.fm

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