Died On This Date (March 10, 2009) Ralph Mercado / “The Berry Gordy of Salsa”
themusicsover Ralph Mercado
September 29, 1941 – March 10, 2009
Ralph Mercado was a successful Latin music impresario who had his hands in many facets of the entertainment industry. He started out promoting Latin jazz shows in clubs throughout Manhattan, but it was just a matter of time before he was putting on Salsa shows at the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden. During the early ’70s, Mercado opened his own management company where he represented the likes of Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. In 1987, he started his own label, RMM Records, the home to over 100 Latin artists. He sold the label to Universal Music in 2001. The success he achieved and the Salsa music dynasty he built lead to his being called “the Berry Gordy of Salsa.” On March 10, 2009, Ralph Mercado died of cancer at the age of 67.
Cliffie Stone was a country singer, musician and songwriter as well as a producer and A&R man for Capitol Records during the label’s early years. As a bassist, he played in big bands that became popular throughout Southern California thanks to appearances on local radio shows. In 1946, he was hired by Capitol where he signed 
