Johnny Pacheco

Juan Azarías Pacheco Knipping (25 March 1935 – 15 February 2021), known as Johnny Pacheco, was a Dominican musician, arranger, bandleader, and record producer.

Johnny Pacheco
Background information
Birth name	Juan Azarías Pacheco Knipping
Born	(1935-03-25)25 March 1935 Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Died	15 February 2021(2021-02-15) (aged 85) Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
Genres	Son guaracha cha-cha-chá pachanga salsa
Occupation(s)	Musician arranger composer producer
Instruments	Flute conga bongo güiro saxophone accordion
Labels	Alegre Fania

Pacheco became one of the leading musicians of the Cuban charanga in the United States in the early 1960s. He was the founder and musical director of Fania Records.^[1] He was also well known for making the genre and term salsa.^[2]

Pacheco was a 9-time Grammy nominee and was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Recording Academy in 2005.

Pacheco died at a hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey on 15 February 2021 from problems caused by pneumonia, aged 85.^[3]

References

1. "Interview: A Visit with Maestro Johnny Pacheco". Descarga.com. Archived from the original on 2000-09-16. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
2. "Latin Music USA". PBS. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
3. Lopez, Elias E. (February 15, 2021). "Johnny Pacheco, Who Helped Bring Salsa to the World, Dies at 85". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2021.