Manolín / Manolin

One of the most successful of Cuba's young vocalists, Manolin (born Manuel Hernandez) was dubbed "El Medico De La Salsa (The Doctor of Salsa)" by Jose Luis Cortes, the leader of NG La Banda. Performing a unique brand of salsa callejera (street music), Manolin has been embraced by Cuba's youth. A graduate of the medical studies program at the University of Havana, Manolin has been singing informally for most of his life. While touring Mexico with a band, he decided to forsake his plans to become a psychiatrist and devote his attentions to music. With the success of his debut album, Para Mi Gente, in 1995, it was evident that he had made the right decision. Five songs on the album became hits in Cuba with one tune, "La Bola," remaining on the Cuban charts for 54 weeks. In 1998, De Buena Fe offered another series of radio hits, broadening his appeal to other Latin markets. On U.S. radio, he started making a dent on Latin pop radio, bringing him to the attention of American distributers BMG. The company signed him up in 2002, releasing Giro Total the following spring on RCA International.