Orlando Contreras Soto

Cuban bolero singer, especially of heartbreak songs, called by his fans "The Romantic Voice of Cuba".

He began singing in various and diverse musical groups in La Habana, including the trio of Arty Valdés; and then, from 1952 to 1956 he performed in the orchestra of Neno González. In that orchestra he achieved a certain popularity to the point of recording a very successful record. While working in Neno's orchestra, he also worked in the Conjunto Casino. Later he became a soloist.

He remained in Cuba during the first years of the revolution. In 1961 he recorded more records that placed him in the top positions, and at that time he worked at the Alí Bar alongside Beny Moré, Fernando Álvarez and Orlando Vallejo. He also worked in the Musicuba ensemble and in September 1965 he moved to the United States. His greatest success was titled Esta tu canción.

Between 1966 and 1970 he performed on a Portuguese tourist ship, while continuing to record. In the 1970s he recorded an anthology record with Daniel Santos and toured throughout the Americas and Spain.

Finally he settled in Medellín, where in the 60s, he and Daniel Santos were "proclaimed" as Los jefes by the clients of bars and cantinas in the center of the city. There he made recordings with the orchestra Fruko y sus Tesos.

Musical Hits
Among the great successes that made him famous in Cuba and Latin America, the following deserve mention among others: En un beso la vida, Sin egoísmo, Difícil, Amarga decepción, Por borracha, Por un puñado de oro, Dónde tu irás, Mi corazonada, Muerto en vida, Dolor de hombre, Que murmuren, Un amigo mío, Amigo de que, Yo estoy desengañado, Arráncame la vida, Egoísmo, Esta tu canción, Se muy bien que vendrás, Corazón de Madera.

Death
He died in Medellín, after suffering from a long and painful illness. His death occurred at approximately 7 a.m., being cremated two hours later, as he had requested on his deathbed. His last wife, Diana María Cardenas Jaramillo, devoted herself to caring for the singer during his illness. Orlando Contreras was the father of fourteen children.

Without a doubt, one of the Cuban singers who managed to achieve well-deserved artistic prestige among his compatriots in very little time, known as "the Chief of Heartbreak". His songs have been breaking the hearts of Cubans and all who listen to him, without exception. They do not sing of happy loves, but rather of the experience that is learned "in the cantina".

Admired equally by the generals Concha and Tacón, as on 8th Street - where his contemporaries abound -, Contreras has not stopped offering us in his melodies that dose of skepticism that we all need, especially when certain politicians insist on giving us "a pig in a poke".

Mi corazonada, was one of his great musical hits: "You are looking for a failure, and that is my gut feeling, / it's up to you if you got tired of the love I gave you. / Lucky for me my heart is not deceived in matters of love / and it tells me let her go. / There will be no flowers, there will be no roses / that will ease your pain, / and on the nights only an echo / tirelessly will tell you, / it's up to you, it's up to you...