Fania Records, A Latin Music Legend

Our History

The history of Fania Record is synonymous with the history of the music we now know as salsa. To talk about Fania is to talk about the birth, and subsequent explosion, of salsa music worldwide. What’s more, it is synonymous with the biggest names in the world of salsa and the salsa of yesteryear whose musical legacy lives on through recordings now considered great classics in the genre.

Fania Records was founded in 1964 by Italian-American lawyer, Jerry Masucci and, multi-talented musician Johnny Pacheco. Pacheco had already achieved artistic recognition and his production—Cañonazo—was his first album under the Fania label, achieving great success for the record company. Masucci himself negotiated the contracts with the various musicians and bands to bring them to the label. At first, due to economic limitations at the time, these new artists were mostly young musicians from The Bronx and Puerto Rico—precisely the key to Fania’s success. Masucci supervised everything that happened in the company including the contracting of new talent like Ruben Blades and Joe Bataan, as well such well-established artists as Celia Cruz and Ray Barretto.

Humble Beginnings

Among the first renowned musicians to join Fania was Willie Colón, who at 16 would become the label’s top seller. At that time, Colón was an avid trumpet player. Together with the voice of Hector Lavoe, they revolutionized the sound of Latin music including the introduction of Puerto Rican folkloric music into salsa with cuatro virtuoso master Yomo Toro who collaborated in Colón/Lavoe sessions.

During those first few years, Fania also signed the talented musicians Bobby Valentín and Larry Harlow. As their fame grew, they were later joined by well-established artists like Mongo Santamaria, Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano, Joe Cuba, and famous bands of the time like Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound, Richy Ray and Bobby Cruz.

The Birth of Salsa

The Fania Label continued signing young bands from the Latino barrios as well as Cuban veteran singers, so that by the early 1970s, it had brought on board numerous famous stars now considered salsa legends.

In the end, Fania’s great success was due, in most part, to the signing of new talent, the development of their potential, as well as the ability to recognize the direction the music was taking at the time and having the artists contribute to that vision. Perhaps more importantly, however, was the unprecedented level of promotion and marketing Fania gave Latin music—something never attempted in Latin music to such a great scale.

Nurturing our Artists

The Fania label successively continued promoting its artists with concerts around the world, conquering the planet with this new rhythm called salsa, and achieving international fame. Fania then became the most recognized Latin record label in the world and a major force in establishing salsa music as a powerful form of music.

Although its individual artists reached great heights, it was the musical genre of salsa that helped Fania make its musical, social, and cultural impact on the world. It is impossible to talk about the history of salsa without talking about “La Fania” and the prominent role it had on putting salsa music on the map.

Cheetah Ballroom

On August 26, 1971, over 5,000 fans filled the Cheetah Ballroom to see

the most popular salsa concert of all time. This presentation resulted in a movie “Our Latin Thing” as well as volumes 1 and 2 of Fania All Stars Live at the Cheetah. This event was not only a success for the Fania label, but the birth of a musical legend and the explosion of salsa music.

Two years later, in August 1973, Fania gathered all of its artists again in another legendary concert at Yankee Stadium. Over 44,000 fans showed up for this historic night where such new voices as Adalberto Santiago and Andy Montañez (then with El Gran Combo) were heard.

The Fania All-Stars

Once Fania became a profitable and recognizable label with bands like Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, and Ray Barretto soaring up the music charts in New York and bands like Roberto Roena and Bobby Valentín doing the same in Puerto Rico, the Fania All Stars concept was born. It consisted of the label’s bands leaders, musicians, and vocalists; the joining together of individual accomplished artists and musicians under one mega band—The Fania All Stars—which was an unprecedented concept in Latin music.

By this time, in 1973, the Fania label had become the most recognized label in Latin music. What’s more, with the purchase of the Tico-Alegre record label, it added acclaimed stars like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, La Lupe, Eddie Palmieri, and many others, to its already strong list of musicians.

In August 1974, the Fania All Stars kicked off their Latin American tour with its debut in Puerto Rico opening the Roberto Clemente Coliseum where Celia Cruz made her official debut with the Fania All Stars. The result of both concerts was the movie “Salsa” and four albums: Live At Yankee Stadium volumes 1 and 2, Latin Soul Rock, and the movie soundtrack.

The Re-Birth of Fania

In 2005, Emusica acquired the assets of Fania and is now embarking on a major re-launching program involving improvements in sound quality, packaging and marketing. The landmark Fania classics that defined the history of Latin music have entered a new phase of their musical legacy.