Alberto Beltran

Alberto Amancio Beltrán, born May 5, 1923, in Palo Blanco, La Romana, Dominican Republic, was a singer known for his contributions to the bolero, son montuno, mambo, merengue, and guaracha genres. He began his musical journey at age 14 by singing on local radio stations. His career took off when he recorded "El 19" with Los Diablos del Caribe in Puerto Rico and later moved to Cuba, where he collaborated with La Sonora Matancera and released hits like "Ignoro tu existencia" and "Aunque me cueste la vida". His breakthrough came with the merengue "El negrito del batey", which became an international bestseller. He released notable albums such as Regresa (1960) and En Viaje (1960) before moving to New York City in 1961, where he continued his career and released the album El Único (1961). He died on February 2, 1997, in Connecticut, United States.