La Sonora Dinamita
La Sonora Dinamita is a Colombian musical group that plays cumbia, a Tropical music genre from Colombia but popular throughout Latin America. As one of the first Cumbia groups to reach international success, it is credited with helping to popularize the genre throughout Latin America and the world.
La Sonora Dinamita | |
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| Also known as | La Sonora Dinamita |
| Origin | Cartagena, Colombia |
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| Members | Charlie Alvarez Tony Peregrino Osman Ocoro Johanna Betancourt Lujan Zarate Edith Quetzaly |
| Past members | Citlalli Moctezuma Lucho Argaín Margarita Vargas India Meliyara Rodolfo Aicardi Raul Velasquez Doris Montenegro Maria Angeles Pupo Manolo Garcia Álvaro Pava Vilma Diaz Macondo Adriana Lucy Peñaloza Salvadorean Susana VelásquezPizarro Armando Hernández Louis Towers Carlos Piña Zoila Nieto Luz Stella Willie Calderón Zayda Saladem Leydi Ballesteros Glenis Ramírez Rubiana Pilar Solano Orlando Quesada Mónica Guzmán Mike Alvear Macondo Luz Esthela Montoya Gaby Sánchez Ernesto Elizondo Carmen González Bibiana Ramirez Amina Osorio |
| Website | originalsonoradinamita |
The original orchestra was formed in 1960 in Cartagena de Indias under the direction of bandleader Lucho Argaín. It disbanded in 1963, but was re-formed in 1975 under the direction of Julio Ernesto Estrada "Fruko" Rincón, the artistic director of the Discos Fuentes record label, yet Lucho Argain continued to be the frontman and original composer/creator of La Sonora Dinamita bringing countless hits that will be playing for generations to come. In 1981, the group released its first successful recordings, such as the classic "Mi Cucu."
In 2002, the band's founder and frontman Lucho Argaín died. However, that did not lead to another dismantlement of the band, it continued with a new line-up. Today, their lead singer is Charlie Alvarez.
While the group's lineup has changed, it has always featured a strong female vocalist to accompany its ten-piece brass instrumentation, including Margarita Vargas (la Diosa de La Cumbia), Mélida Yará (La India Meliyará), Vilma Díaz (La Diva de La Cumbia), Susana Velasquez, and other female vocalists and also several male vocalists.