Loading details…
P
Artist
Pupi Campo
12+ albums
mamboinstrumentalworldUSAorchestra
about
Pupi Campo was born in Havana, Cuba, on May 1st, 1920. Campo was born Jacinto Campillo, and was the second of five children: Georgina, Alejandro, Armando and Josephina. While dancing in a Havana nightclub in 1940, Campo was noticed by New York club owner, Irving Sussman. Sussman invited the young man to look him up "if he were ever in New York City." Campo and his friend Armando Guin, began selling raffle tickets for a nickel the next day, and within a month, Campo took a boat called the "Floridita" to Miami, and was in New York and knocking on Mr. Sussman's door at the "Eden Concert" nightclub. Sussman introduced Campo (then Campillo) to the headliner: a young Cuban man named Desi Arnaz. Though the two had never met, Arnaz introduced Campo that night as his "good friend from Havana." Campo asked the band to play a mambo, and he began to dance for the crowd. Sussman signed him to a six-month contract for $50 per week. Sussman suggested the name change for Campo as well, and after working as a solo act for some time, he met broadway star Diosa Costello. Costello and Campo were married for eleven years, and performed together. One night, when visiting Costello's good friend Carmen Miranda, columnist Walter Winchell--who was also visiting--suggested that Campo 'front' his own band. Campo took the suggestion, and led his band for the next 40+ years. In that time, Campo's band featured legends in Latin music, including such greats as Tito Puente (arranger for five years) 'Cachao'
you might also explore
▤Books
▧Games
▣Movies
▦TV
