Dámaso Pérez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, musician, and composer. He is often referred to as the King of the Mambo. Pérez was his surname, thus Dámaso Pérez, his true name, became known by the paternal and maternal surnames Pérez Prado.

His orchestra was the most popular in mambo. His son, Pérez Prado, Jr., continues to direct the Pérez Prado Orchestra in Mexico City to this day.

Alumni of Pérez Prado and His Orchestra:
During his lifetime, a cast of musical luminaries passed through his orchestra, including:
- Alex Acuña (percussion)
- Maynard Ferguson (trumpet)
- Pete Candoli (trumpet)
- John H. Wanner (trombone)
- Beny Moré (vocals)
- Johnny Pacheco (percussion/ flute)
- Armando Peraza (percussion)
- Mongo Santamaría (percussion) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.