# Distinguished Cuban Singer Teté Caturla Passed Away

**Date:** 09/05/2023

On September 4th in Havana, the distinguished Cuban singer Regla Teresa García Rodríguez (Teté Caturla) passed away at the age of 85, victim of a painful illness.

Teté Caturla was born in the City of Remedios, Province of Villa Clara, on October 13, 1937, youngest daughter of the great Cuban composer Alejandro García Caturla.

She began her musical life at a very early age, in the city where she was born. Later, she joined the Children's Band, under the direction of maestro Agustín Jiménez Crespo and studied at the Municipal Academy of Music.

She enrolled in the Normal School and graduated as a teacher, but ultimately dedicated herself entirely to music. In 1958 she moved to Havana and performed alongside the famous all-female orchestra Las Anacaonas.

In 1963, she joined the famous Cuarteto D'Aida as a singer, along with Omara Portuondo, Xiomara Valdés and Lilita Peñalver. This marked the beginning of her professional career, and with this musical group she recorded albums, worked in the most important nightclubs in Cuba such as Tropicana, Cabaret Parisién, Cabaret Caribe, and stages at the Capri and Riviera hotels, among many others; she performed in theaters and various music venues, as well as in important prime-time programs on Cuban radio and television, while also securing contracts to perform in different countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

In October 1973, when Aida Diestro, founder and director of the Quartet, passed away, Teresa assumed the leadership of the group along with her brother Ramón García Caturla, and during this period they continued to achieve success both on the island and abroad, with a select repertoire encompassing the best of Cuban music. They triumphed in countries such as Panama in 1978; in Granada a year later; in Mexico during 1983; in Spain in 1984; as well as in Angola and Finland in 1986 and 1987, respectively. The group disbanded in 1988.

In the 1980s, she was part of the group Estrellas de Areito, with which she also recorded and achieved great success in Venezuela, alongside classic voices such as Tito Gómez, Miguelito Cuní, Pío Leyva, and supported by instrumentalists of the caliber of Enrique Jorrín, Rafael Lay, Richard Egües, Félix Chapottin, Rubén González, Cachaito López, Amadito Valdés and Tata Güines, to name only some of the stellar figures in this constellation.

Beginning in spring 1998 she joined the Afro-Cuban All Stars project as a soloist, performing successfully at World Music and Jazz festivals in Europe, such as the "Swinging Broningen Festival" in Holland, the "Palee Festival" in Switzerland, and the "Masalla Festival" in Germany. During these years she undertook tours through the United States and Canada, performing on stages such as the "Conga Room" in Los Angeles, the "Hollywood Bowl", the "Lisner Auditorium" in Washington, the "Town Hall" in New York; "Massey Hall" in Toronto and "Le Spectrum" in Montreal. She also performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and participated as an invited soloist in album recordings linked to the Buena Vista Social Club project, alongside figures such as Omara Portuondo and Ibrahim Ferrer.

In 2003, celebrating 40 years of her professional life, and after having participated in countless recordings with many colleagues, Teresa García Caturla's first personal CD hit the market, under the title "Llegó Teté". This exquisite recording was awarded the Grand Prize Cubadisco 2004.

After the release of her album, Teresa continued performing in Cuba and traveling the world, either with her new group called Rumba Tere, or as part of the stars of the Buena Vista Social Club.

With more than 50 years on stage and authentically Cuban, Teté Caturla was a recipient of the National Culture Award, the Replica of the Machete of "Máximo Gómez" and many other decorations and honors.