Guillermo Portabales

José Guillermo Quesada Castillo, better known as Guillermo Portabales, was born on April 6, 1911, in Rodas, Cuba. He began his career at age 11 as a printer's assistant and made his radio debut in 1928 on station CMHI. Initially singing various styles—including canción, tango, bolero, and son—he found success with the guajira genre, developing his signature salón guajira style. Portabales moved to Puerto Rico in 1937, where he performed extensively. In 1939, he married Arah Mina López and returned to Cuba that same year. He toured Latin America and the United States throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He settled permanently in Puerto Rico in 1953, continuing to record and perform until his death on October 25, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after being struck by a car while leaving a restaurant. Notable posthumous recognition includes albums such as Sones Cubanos, and the 2006 release Kinavana by Kékélé, which re-Africanized some of his compositions.