Garrincha: Joy of the People

Ask a Brazilian who is the greatest soccer player ever, and you're likely to hear not about Pelé, but his contemporary Garrincha.

The Afterlife of Roberto Bolaño

Roberto Bolaño died in 2003, but in the years since has become the biggest writer to emerge from Latin America in decades. On his birthday, we look back at his life and work.

Freddy Fender's Songs of Love and Loss

(1937–2006) was one of the kings of Tejano music and a rare Mexican-American crossover success on the country music charts. His songs of love and loss struck a chord with listeners, even when they couldn’t understand all of the bilingual lyrics.

Desi Arnaz, TV Innovator

Twenty-seven years after Desi Arnaz's death, we're showcasing three of the ways he helped influence television.

Remembering Raul Julia

Raul Julia's celebrated acting career made him one of Puerto Rico's most famous native sons. Born March 9, 1940, Julia was a success on stage with multiple Tony Award nominations to his credit, as well as on TV and movie screens, making his mark with well-loved and award-winning roles. We're celebrating his life today with a look at some of the highlights of his career.

Tito Puente's Timbales

On the 90th anniversary of his birth, we remember Latin jazz legend Tito Puente, “El Rey de los Timbales."

The Best of Ritchie Valens

Rock and roll star Ritchie Valens , alongside and the , on a cold early morning that came to be known as "The Day the Music Died."

Remembering Elizabeth Peña

Elizabeth Peña  was a versatile actress who shifted effortlessly between dramatic roles in such films as "Lone Star" and comedic parts on TV shows like "Modern Family."

Remembering Minnie Minoso

We remember the legendary Minnie Minoso, the first black baseball player in Chicago.

Can Dia de los Muertos Help us Grieve?

Arturo Albin, Director of Método Grief Recovery México, shares insights on this special holiday.

Adriana Campos (1979 - 2015)

Colombian actress Adriana Campos and her husband, Carlos Rincon, diedTuesday in a tragic car accident, according to Latin Times.

Gato Barbieri (1932 - 2016)

Grammy-winning Latin jazz saxophonist has died at age 83.

Tonita Castro (1953–2016), sitcom co-star on Dads

Tonita Castro, a Mexican-born actress known best for her co-star roles on the TV sitcoms “Dads” and “Go On,” died May 8 of stomach cancer, according to multiple news sources. She was 63.

Emilio Navaira (1962 - 2016), King of Tejano Music

Emilio Navaira, the American-born, Grammy-winning singer known as the King of Tejano Music, died Monday of a heart attack, according to multiple news sources. He was 53. Navaira, who charted nearly a dozen singles on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, over the course of his career, was found unconscious at his house, police in New Braunfels, Texas, said. His greatest country hit was 1995’s “It’s Not the End of the World," which rose as high as No. 27. His song “Por Siempre Unidos” made the top 10 the following year, peaking at No. 7 on Latin Pop Airplay.

Helen Chávez (1928–2016), United Farm Workers of America activist

Helen Chávez, the widow of longtime United Farm Workers of America leader Cesar Chávez, died June 6 of natural causes in Bakersfield, California, according to multiple news reports. She was 88.

Juan Gabriel (1950 - 2016), legendary Mexican singer

Juan Gabriel, a legendary Mexican singer, died Aug. 28, 2016, according to multiple news sources. He was 66.

Miriam Colon (1936–2017), Scarface actress

Miriam Colon, the Puerto Rican star of stage and screen who was featured in “Scarface,” died of a lung infection Friday, March 3, 2017, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to The Associated Press. She was 80.

Rosie Hamlin (1945–2017), Angel Baby singer

Songwriter Rosie Hamlin composed and sang the classic song "Angel Baby."

Elena Verdugo (1925–2017), Marcus Welby, M.D. actress

Correction: Elena Verdugo's date of death was later revealed to have been May 30, 2017.

Rafael 'Felo' Ramirez (1923 - 2017), Miami Marlins broadcaster

Rafael “Felo” Ramirez, Hall of Fame Spanish-language radio voice of the Miami Marlins, has died at the age of 94, according to multiple news sources.

Laudir de Oliveira (1940–2017), opened the door for Brazilian percussion in rock music

Former percussionist for the rock band Chicago.

Puerto Rican Pride: Celebrating Heritage in the Obits

An obituary is a timeline, a record of where a person has been, what they've done, and who they are related to. It can be a simple list or a highlight reel of sorts, featuring the greatest jokes, sayings, and memories from a loved one's life. The most memorable obituaries paint brilliantly-colored portraits of life – and not just that one person's life, either. Because obituaries, at their heart, are about communities. An obituary tells someone's life story in a particular way: through their connections to family, friends, church, school, military unit, and hometown.

Joaquin Avila (1948–2018), prominent Hispanic civil rights lawyer

SEATTLE (AP) — Civil rights lawyer Joaquin Avila, who fought discrimination in classrooms, workplaces and voting booths as a leader of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, has died. He was 69.

Sergio Pitol (1933 – 2018), celebrated Mexican author

Known for "The Magician of Vienna" and "Mephisto's Waltz"…

Jimmy Gonzalez (2018), frontman for Grupo Mazz

Tejano superstar won six Latin Grammy awards.

Celebrating Day of the Dead (video)

2017 may be remembered as the year that the Day of the Dead finally reached broad popular awareness as a holiday celebrated widely across the United States.

Pedro Morales (1942–2019), Hall of Fame pro wrestler

Pedro Morales was a beloved pro wrestler, a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. He was the first wrestler in WWE history to win the Triple Crown: the WWE Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and World Tag Team Championship. A native of Puerto Rico, Morales moved to New York in his teens, where he discovered wrestling. He debuted as a professional at 17 in 1959, and he went on to win the WWE Championship in 1971, holding the title until 1973. A legendary 1972 match against Bruno Sammartino ended in a draw – and an embrace between the two champs – after 75 minutes of wrestling. After his 1987 retirement, Morales remained active in wrestling as a road agent and a Spanish-language commentator.

25 Best Baseball Players of All Time

Springtime means opening day of the Major League Baseball season—just thinking about it, you can practically smell the hot dogs and hear the crack of a bat as the crowd erupts in cheers. Baseball has been called America's favorite pastime, but it's worth remembering that the greatest baseball players of yesteryear used to be America's favorite popular heroes, too. In this gallery, we take a fond look at 25 of the most beloved top baseball stars of all time who are no longer with us, from Mickey Mantle to Ernie Banks and more.

Beth Carvalho (1946–2019), Brazilian "godmother of samba"

Beth Carvalho was Brazil's "godmother of samba," an exuberant singer who fought for women's place in the traditionally male-dominated genre.

Silver King (1968–2019), popular Lucha Libre wrestler dies during a match

Silver King (Cesar Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez Barron) was a popular Lucha Libre wrestler who co-starred in the Jack Black moviee2809cNacho Libre.e2949d He played a champion wrestler and funny villain named Ramses in the 2006 movie. At the match in London, Silver King was wrestling against Juventud Guerrerawhen he was knocked down to the ground. He was pinned and did not get up but most of the fans thought that was a staged part of the match. It is believed that he passed away from a cardiac arrest. Silver King comes from a wrestling family, both his father and brother were wrestlers.

Edith Gonzalez (1964–2019), Mexican telenovela star

Edith Gonzalez was a telenovela star best known for her starring role on the Mexican program "Salome." She had leading roles in more than a dozen other telenovelas, including "Cielo Rojo," "Doña Barbara," "La Academia," and "Camaleones." Most recently, she was a judge on the Mexican reality program "This Is My Style."

Ernestine Romero (1987–2019), award-winning Tejano singer

Ernestine Romero was an award-winning Tejano singer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2016, the New Mexico Hispano Music Association awarded her their CD of the Year, Cumbia Song of the Year, and Salsa Tropical Song of the Year awards, and she was also nominated for a Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year that same year. Romero’s most recent album, 2019’s “Mi Tesoro,” marked her 20th year in the music industry. Her 2015 album “Gracias Señor” included a duet with Grammy-winning singer Ruben Ramos.

Celso Pina (1953–2019), legendary Mexican accordionist

Celso Pina was a legendary Mexican accordionist and singer known as “The Accordion Rebel.” He taught himself to play the accordion with no formal training. Pina was a very important musician in the genre of Cumbia music. He was a pioneer in combining tropical music with modern music such as hip-hop, reggae, ska, and other music styles. He released more than 20 albums in his career and toured around the world, including the United States.

Camilo Sesto (1946–2019), beloved Spanish singer and songwriter

Camilo Sesto was a Spanish singer, songwriter, and producer whose romantic ballads were huge hits across the Spanish-speaking world in the 1970s and ‘80s. His popular singles include “Algo de Mi” (“Something of Me”), “Donde Estes, Con Quien Estes” (“Wherever You Are, Whoever You’re With”), and “Perdoname” (Forgive Me”). He sold more tha 100 million albums and was called by Billboard “one of the most iconic voices in Latin pop of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In 1975, Sesto starred in a Spanish-language production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and he continued touring and recording into the last years of his life.

José José (1948–2019), Mexico’s “Prince of Song”

José José was a Mexican singer known as “The Prince of Song” and beloved for romantic ballads including “El Triste” and “Amar y Querer.”

Ray Santos (1928–2019), Latin music legend

Ray Santos wasa legendary Latin musician who arranged the theme song for moviec3a2c280c29cThe Mambo Kings.c3a2c280c29d Known as c3a2c280c29cEl Maestro,c3a2c280c29d the saxophonist started playing in Latin big bands at Catskill Mountain resorts in the 1950s. He worked with many known musicians including Tito Puente. Santos won a Grammy award for working with Linda Ronstadt on her 1992 album c3a2c280c29cFrenesic3a2c280c29d and received the Latin Grammy Trustees Award in 2011. He also taught and directed the Latin band at the City College of New York for over 20 years.

Walter Mercado (1932–2019), popular Puerto Rican astrologer

Walter Mercado was a Puerto Rican astrologer who was widely known and beloved for his TV shows.

Shelley Morrison (1936–2019), “Will & Grace” actress

Shelley Morrison, who played maid Rosario on the sitcom “Will & Grace,” died of heart failure in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 1, 2019. She was 83.

Chuy Bravo (1956–2019), “Chelsea Lately” sidekick

Chuy Bravo was an actor best known as Chelsea Handler’s sidekick on the talk show “Chelsea Lately” from 2007 to 2014.

Angelo Lozada (1966–2019), comedian warmed up “Daily Show” audiences

Angelo Lozada was a New York comedian who was the warmup act for “The Daily Show” for three years. He co-created and starred in the web series “Get Some!,” for which he was nominated for best actor in a web series at the Official Latino Short Film Festival. Lozada was the founder of the comedy troupe Noyurican Rule, and he was featured on “Showtime at the Apollo,” BET’s “ComicView,” and Martin Lawrence’s “1st Amendment.”

Chamin Correa (1929–2020), renowned Mexican guitarist

Chamin Correa was a Mexican guitarist known for playing romantic songs on the requinto, a smaller, higher-pitched cousin to the guitar. Performing solo and with the group Los Tres Caballeros, Correa had a decades-long career beginning with his first fame in the 1950s. He recorded with superstars including José José, Dave Brubeck, Gloria Estefan, and Joan Baez. Correa was particularly known for playing boleros, a type of love song.

Andrea Arruti (1998–2020), voice of Elsa in Spanish-language “Frozen”

Andrea Arruti was a Mexican voice actress who provided the voice of Elsa in the Spanish-language version of Disney’s “Frozen.” Her other voiceover credits include the Spanish-language versions of Diamond Tiara in “My Little Pony,” Neeko in “League of Legends,” Brigitte in “Phineas and Ferb,” Makini in “The Lion Guard,” and others.

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1920–2020), former secretary-general of the United Nations

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar served as secretary-general of the United Nations for two terms, from 1982 to 1991. During that time, he mediated disputes such as the Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina as well as conflicts in Central America. The end of his term saw the collapse of the Soviet Union, the independence of Namibia in Africa, and a cease-fire in Western Sahara.

Jorge Santana (1951–2020), guitarist for Malo and Carlos Santana’s brother

Jorge Santana was the guitarist for Malo, who had a 1972 hit with “Suavecito.” He was also the younger brother of Carlos Santana.

Manuel Donley (1927–2020), “The Godfather of Tejano music”

Manuel “Cowboy” Donley was a Tejano music legend called “The Godfather of Tejano Music.” 

Rudolfo Anaya (1937–2020), “godfather” of Chicano literature

Rudolfo Anaya was called the “godfather” of Chicano literature. He was best known for hisnovel, “Bless Me, Ultima.”

Naya Rivera (1987–2020), actress who starred as Santana Lopez in “Glee”

Naya Rivera was an actress best known for her role as Santana Lopez in the hit musical TV series “Glee.”

El Dany (1989–2020), singer with Cuban duo Yomil y El Dany

El Dany was a singer with the Cuban duo Yomil y El Dany, who had hits including the recent release “No Volveré.”

Arcelio Garcia (1946–2020), lead singer for Latin rock band Malo

Arcelio Garcia was the lead singer for the Latin rock band Malo, known for their 1972 hit single “Suavecito.”