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Rey Ruiz. Tipo es un gran salsero.
His musical career began 90 miles east of Key West, in Havana, Cuba. As a kid, the baby-faced singer appeared on countless national television programs, showcasing his incredible range. He enrolled in the country’s famed Conservatorio de Música and was soon headlining a show at the Habana Libre Hotel. Fast-forward a few years, and el Rey is touring the globe, playing gigs with Cabaret Tropicana.
In fact, it was on a 1989 tour that Ruiz said no mas to the communist regime and defected while in the Dominican Republic. A few years later, he found himself on U.S. soil with a Sony Tropical record deal. In 1992, Ruiz released his self-titled debut. It went platinum. Both Billboard and Premios Lo Nuestro recognized his work with several awards that year. And in 1993, Salsa Tropical named him New Salsa Singer of the Year.
Now 11 albums later, Ruiz is still a salsa heavyweight.