Legendary Bandleader, Multi-instrumentalist, Producer, Composer, Arranger and Fania Records label co-founder Johnny Pacheco (pictured left) died on Monday, February 15 due to Pneumonia. He also had Parkinson’s disease. He was 85 years old. Pacheco was considered a pioneer, an innovator and an icon in Latin Music, Pacheco was a 9-time Grammy nominee and was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Recording Academy in 2005. He was the first Latin music producer to receive the NARAS Governor’s Award as well as numerous awards and honors throughout his career. Pacheco created the Fania All Stars in 1968 who became a worldwide sensation. In 1971, this orchestra consisting of Fania’s elite exploded all over the Salsa scene that continued for 3 decades. He is also given credit for coining the word “Salsa” to denote the genre .
Born Juan Pablo Pacheco Knipping in Santiago de los Caballeros on March 25, 1935 in the Dominican Republic, Johnny Pacheco was born into a musical family. His father, Rafael Azarias Pacheco was the bandleader and clarinetist of one of the most famous orchestras of that time-the Santa Cecilia Orchestra. His father gave Pacheco his first musical instrument. At the age of 11, the Pacheco family relocated to New York because of problems with the dictator Rafael Trujillo’s regime. Johnny learned to play accordion, violin, saxophone and clarinet. He attended the Julliard School of Music where he studied percussion.
After graduating from Julliard, Pacheco learned to play the flute. His choice of instrument was the Cuban wooden flute. After a successful stint as flautist with Charlie Palmieri and his Charanga Duboney, Pacheco formed his own charanga in 1960. The band signed with Alegre Records and its first album “Johnny Pacheco Y Su Charanga” sold over 100,000 records in the first year which was huge in that era. In 1963, Pacheco introduced a new dance craze called the “Pachanga” which made him an international star.
In 1964, Pacheco created Fania Records with business partner Jerry Masucci. In 1964, Fania released Pacheco’s next endeavor entitled “Cañonazo” featuring a switch from the Charanga to Conjunto style. As the label’s executive VP, A&R creative director and musical producer, Pacheco was responsible for launching the careers of many artists who are now part of the history of Fania as well as recognized as major artists in their own right such as Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Cheo Feliciano among countless others.
His musical collaborations with Celia Cruz were celebrated worldwide and many of his recordings are considered classics. For more than 40 years, Pacheco collaborated with Latin music giants such as Perez Prado, Xavier Cugat, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente among others. He also has performed and collaborated with renowned Jazz and Pop artists such as Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, Tony Bennett, George Benson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Stevie Wonder.
Pacheco’s musical performances and recordings with his Tumbao Añejo have featured a who’s who of distinctive vocalists such as Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Hector Casanova, Monguito El Unico, Caito Diaz, Eliot Romero, Chivirico Davila and Ray Viera. Pacheco wrote over 150 compositions that produced big hits for the Fania All Stars, Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz and others. Pacheco sold his interest in the label to Massuci in 1980. He continued to release his own music on the label and perform with the Fania All Stars. Pacheco recorded his last release “Sima” for Fania in 1993 but didn’t release another solo recording until 2005’s “Entre Amigos” release for Bobby Valentin’s Bronco label which was his last recording. Johnny Pacheco has left his mark as an icon in Salsa Music. We will continue to celebrate his many contributions for years to come. My deepest condolences to the Pacheco family.
Here is the link to my tribute to Johnny Pacheco that aired on World Salsa Radio.com on Wed, February 17th.
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