I was saddened to learn about the death of Puerto Rican music legend Yomo Toro. The 78 year old King of the Cuatro, born Víctor Guillermo Toro Vega Ramos Rodríguez Acosta, had been struggling with kidney disease and passed from this world on June 30, surrounded by those who loved him.
Fro those that don’t know, Toro, born in Guánica, in the town of Ensenada, Puerto Rico, used the cuatro, a small guitar, to spread the musical folklore of his island worldwide. Toro’s talents went beyond Rican music, though, crossing genres globally.
You can read the New York Times‘ obituary here. But I want to share that personally, Yomo Toro’s music is part of my childhood memories. His records (yes, records) were part of so many celebrations both here in New York City and in Puerto Rico. His loss is a large one but what he has left here, his legacy, is a powerful gift.
For those in the NYC area, click after the jump for funeral information.
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