Charlie Aponte in Phoenix

Charlie Aponte is a Puerto Rican salsa singer, born in Caguas in 1951, who spent four decades as a lead vocalist of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. His voice is heard on the orchestra’s songs “Brujería,” “El Menú” and “No Hay Cama Pa’ Tanta Gente.” After leaving the group, he began a solo career with the album Una Nueva Historia. Charlie Aponte joined El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico in 1973 and performed with the orchestra at Yankee Stadium that year. He went on to tour extensively with the band and appeared at Madison Square Garden before closing his tenure with a 2014 performance in Cali, Colombia.