In 1800 a man who belonged to the Congolese tribes was transported to Cuba. For the rest of his life he taught the African tradition to his son. His grandson, born Bonifacio, became the father of a son whom fate choose to create a music that would become a favorite worldwide. The chosen was seven years old in 1918, when a horse kicked him in the face, producing irreversible damaged one eye. During the following years, all 18 grandchildren were taught the ancient traditions of the Congolese; their language, their culture, their religion, thus constantly reminded that they were Congolese and nothing else . The blind grandson assimilated the culture of the mother country, until her grandfather, a prudent and wise old man, died at the age of 104 years .
Until the age of 57, when Arsenio Rodríguez died, his conception of life was like a dream. All interaction with another person . . . all I heard, touched or smelt; all signals emitted tactile sensations to your mind and transformed into images that he thought were true. Later, he would provide sensory impulses of lyrics for the songs he wrote. Although little is known of Arsenio, most of his lyrics are a revelation of his experiences at a specific point in their lives.
Link For The Rest -- http://www.herencialatina.com/Arsenio_Rodriguez/Arsenio_Rodriguez.htm
Arsenio Rodriguez --http://www.arseniorodriguezinmemoriam.org/#!bio
