Fernando Villalona

In 1971, Fernandito Villalona gained his first foothold in Dominican popular music by entering a talent search festival staged by the local artists association Amucaba. Recognized among the strongest entrants, his third-place finish earned him a spot in a prominent ensemble. He later lent his voice to Wilfrido Vargas' los Hijos del Rey before forming his own orchestra under the name Mayimbe. Although bolero remained his favored style over merengue, Kubaney recruited him to cut his initial tropical recordings.

Following a troubled stretch marked by a painful breakup and struggles with drug abuse, Fernandito Villalona reappeared on the charts in the early '90s via a cover of Manuel Serrat's "Penelope."