Ibrahim Ferrer, the mild-mannered singer of the Buena Vista Social Club group that took him from shining shoes to world fame late in life, has died in Havana at the age of 78. Photo by www.nga.ch
Ibrahim Ferrer, the mild-mannered singer of the Buena Vista Social Club group that took him from shining shoes to world fame late in life, has died in Havana at the age of 78.
The Grammy winner known for his trademark cap and grey moustache died of multiple organ failure on Saturday after returning ill on Wednesday from a European tour, manager Daniel Florestan said.
Ferrer, a singer of Cuba's traditional music genre known as son, whose voice has been compared to Nat King Cole's, was born at a social club dance in Santiago, Cuba, on 20 February 1927 when his mother suddenly went into labour.
He began singing professionally at the age of 14.