Died On This Date (January 9, 2012) Ruth Fernandez / Pioneering Puerto Rican Singer
themusicsover Ruth Fernandez Cortada
May 23, 1919 – January 9, 2012
Once called “The Soul of Puerto Rican Song,” Ruth Fernandez was a popular singer who broke both racial and gender barriers during the 1940s. After learning to play the piano as a child, Fernandez began performing around her neighborhood in Ponce, and by the time she was 14, she had already formed her first group and was performing for 50 cents a day at local radio stations. She went on to perform at area nightclubs and casinos with Mingo, a popular bandleader. In 1941, Fernandez received a recording contract from Columbia Records who released her first hit single, 1941’s “Cuando Vuelvas.” Before she knew it, she was performing in clubs as far north as New York City. Fernandez also became a popular performer for soldiers stationed overseas as she traveled to entertain troops of Hispanic descent during WWII and the Korean War. In 1954, she performed on El Show Libby’s, Puerto Rico’s first-ever televised music program. Over the course of her career, Fernandez toured the world, and in many places was the first Latina to do so. She also appeared in several Spanish-language films. In 1973, Fernandez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico where she served until 1981. During her tenure, she worked to better conditions for the artistic class. After retiring during the 2000s, it was revealed that Fernandez was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Ruth Fernandez passed away at the age of 92 on January 9, 2012.
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