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Manuel Jiménez "La Pulguita"

Puerto Rican guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, band leader. Manuel Jiménez was born in Orocovis, Puerto Rico in 1918 and died August 14, 1995 . Recently graduated from the Superior School in 1937, he founded, along with Félix Rodríguez "Corozo" and Fico Maldonado, a Trio that upon reaching the radio, the producer and presenter Don Camilo Fraticelli baptized with the name from "Los Ruiseñores Criollos". With the departure of Fico Maldonado and the entry of Paquito Sánchez and Placido Acevedo, the trio soon became "Cuarteto Mayarí". In 1941 Jiménez separated from “El Cuarteto Mayarí and joined the then already famous“ Cuarteto Marcano ”. With the "Cuarteto Marcano" he traveled to New York City. In September 1941 he recorded in that city four numbers with the "Conjunto Lirico Antillano". In this group he made the second voice to Payo Flores and debuted as a solo singer. With Grupo Marcano he made a second voice to Piquito Marcano and in others to Tito Rodríguez. For 1942 Manuel Jiménez made several recordings with the "Conjunto de Johnny Rodríguez". It is this time that Johnny, together with Manuel and Lalo Martínez founded the "Trío De Johnny Rodríguez" that quickly won the applause of the American public. It was with the "Trío De Johnny Rodríguez" that Manuel returned to Puerto Rico in 1945. In the summer of that year, Manuel broke with the "Trío De Johnny Rodríguez" and founded his sensational quartet.