Severo Alberto Borges Abreu

He was one of the great voices of Cuban bolero, a product of Batabanó who sang for more than half a century. He began as a vocalist in musical groups from his hometown, and later joined the Conjunto Saratoga, with which he remained for twenty years, recording albums and performing on radio and television programs, as well as performing at popular dances. He was a notable interpreter of bolero. He worked as a soloist in nightclubs.

He was born in Batabanó. He worked as a watercress gatherer and during breaks, his coworkers would ask him to please them with his performances.

At 16 years of age he would already perform professionally with J. R. González's orchestra, where he spent several years. Later he sang with the groups Universal, from Melena del Sur, Casablanca, Casino, Rumbavana, and Saratoga. With this last group he remained for 20 years, before becoming a soloist.

Lino Borges, bolerista par excellence, performed like no one else songs such as "Vida consentida" and "Corazón de cristal," two of his emblematic and greatest hits.

Island musicologists recognize Borges as one of the most important male bolero singers in Cuba, alongside figures such as Vicentico Valdés, Abelardo Barroso, Pacho Alonso, René Cabell, Tito Gómez, Ñico Membiela, Fernando Alvarez, Orlando Contreras, Orlando Vallejo, José Tejedor, and Roberto Sánchez, among so many other good interpreters that the Cuban island produced.

For Venezuelans, this distinguished bolerista constituted a true legend during the 1960s-1970s, as he was the interpreter of one of the most beautiful songs dedicated to the most intimate aspects of romance, composed by a Venezuelan, Dr. Homero Parra, such as "Vida Consentida," becoming a huge success throughout Latin America and other countries where Spanish is also spoken, elevating the status of idol that was already beginning to be seen in Lino Borges as a bolero singer, since that precious composition served as his banner to open his personal presentations, in addition to the substantial sales that his recording achieved, which allowed him to travel through the world of entertainment as a dazzling star of romantic singing.

In 1960, the well-known record producer José Pagés, owner of the Velvet record label, after analyzing different bolero singer voices in order to observe which of those he had in his appreciable collection could interpret the song according to the arrangements that had been made for it, and it was in this way that he decided to have Lino Borges record "Vida consentida" by Homero Parra, originally composed in Venezuelan waltz time, but arranged so that he would sing it as a bolero, considering that it adapted perfectly well to his voice. Time proved Don José Pagés right, as the song, once it was released recorded in the voice of Lino Borges, became his first major hit, transcending borders and establishing itself as a true hit in several Latin American countries. The impact caused by such a beautiful song was such that it opened the doors for him to sign a contract to perform at the Cabaret Nacional (San Rafael and Prado). This was followed by "Corazón de cristal" by Enrique Pessino; "Moriré de amor" by Leopoldo Ulloa; and other hits.

Lino Borges died at 71 years of age in a hospital in La Habana from a pulmonary condition and was buried in the privacy of family in his hometown of Batabanó, so his funeral constituted an overwhelming expression of popular mourning.

His last performances were at the Salón Bolero (Dos Gardenias), where he was a star figure in their programming.