Charlie Aponte, a Puerto Rican salsa vocalist, fronted the storied El Gran Combo as lead singer for more than four decades. While enrolled in university accounting courses, he had already cultivated a strong following as a sonero through regular appearances at elite venues such as Lomas del Sol. Saxophonist Eddie Perez of El Gran Combo first noticed him during one of those sets. After founding vocalist Pellin Rodriguez departed to launch a solo career, Perez recommended Aponte to Rafael Ithier, who had been charged with recruiting a successor. Ithier required the prospective singer to audition across three months while simultaneously confirming references and appraising his character. Aponte withdrew from his studies to join El Gran Combo in June 1973. He remained the ensemble’s most celebrated frontman through salsa’s golden era and well beyond, securing his place among the foremost soneros both in Puerto Rico and internationally. He stepped down from the group in late 2014 at age 62, citing a desire to devote more time to family. The retirement proved short-lived; his debut solo album, Una Nueva Historia, appeared on Top Stop Music the next year.
