Daniel Santos (February 5, 1916 – November 27, 1992) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of boleros, and an overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, including guaracha, plena and rumba. Over the course of his career he adopted several names created by the public and became known as "El Jefe" and "El Inquieto Anacobero".
Early years
Santos (birth name: Daniel Santos Betancourt) was born and raised with his three sisters, Sara, Rosa Lydia and Luz América in Trastalleres, a poor section of Santurce, Puerto Rico. He attended Las Palmitas Elementary School.
In 1924, his family moved to New York City looking for a better way of life. When his parents, Rosendo and María enrolled him in school, he had to start from the first grade again because he did not know enough English. Santos joined his high school's choir, but he dropped out of high school in his second year and moved out of his parents' apartment. When he was fifteen years old he began looking for work in Manhattan.
Santos moved into a small apartment, where, one day, he started to sing "Te Quiero, Dijiste" (You said 'I Love You'). A member of the Trío Lírico was passing by and heard him sing. He then knocked on Santos' door. The trio member invited Daniel to join the trio and he accepted. Santos debuted with them on September 13, 1930; he sang in various social events and was paid a dollar for every song that he sang. Santos recorded many songs with the Cuarteto Flores and started to gain fame. Among the songs he recorded were: "Perdon"; "Amor"; "El Ultimo Adios" "Si Yo Fuera Millonario" by singer/composer Miguel Poventud and Borracho no Vale.
Participation in World War II
In the early 1940s, many young Puerto Rican men were drafted for World War II, among them Santos. Santos recorded "Despedida" (My Good-bye), a farewell song written by Flores from the viewpoint of an Army recruit who had to leave behind his girlfriend and his ailing mother, which became a hit.
International performances
Santos became active in the Puerto Rican Independence Movement and identified himself with the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and its president Pedro Albizu Campos after he was discharged from the military because of the prejudice which he experienced within the Army.
In March 1946, Santos inaugurated a bar and restaurant named Borinquen, and administrated the establishment for some weeks. Two months later he began singing Mexican music and boleros at Greenwich Village. During his third presentation Santos lost his voice without completing the scheduled show, he tried to explain the situation to the public but was unable to calm them down and a riot erupted. His life was also the subject of four biographical books: Mi Vida Entera (2020) written by his daughter Danilú Santos-Price,; Vengo a decirle adiós a los muchachos (1989) by Josean Ramos; La importancia de llamarse Daniel Santos (1988), by Luis Rafael Sánchez, El Inquieto Anacobero, by Salvador Garmendia.
In the 1940s Santos recorded "En mi Viejo San Juan", a song by Noel Estrada, and made it famous worldwide with his recordings and performances, especially among Puerto Ricans living overseas.
In 2000 he was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican Nationalist Party