José Tamárez Mateo, known professionally as Joseíto Mateo, was born on April 6,
1920, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He began his singing career in the
1930s and gained public favor. In the late 1940s, he was contracted by SEECO
Records to join La Sonora Matancera in Havana but faced travel restrictions.
Mateo eventually moved to Cuba, performing with Celia Cruz and La Sonora
Matancera on CMQ radio. After Rafael Trujillo's assassination in 1961, Mateo
relocated to Puerto Rico and became the first vocalist for El Gran Combo de
Puerto Rico. Throughout his career, Mateo relea...