Born at a social club dance, Ibrahim Ferrer always believed it was his destiny to be a singer. Yet although he was the lead vocalist for bandleader Pacho Alonso in the 1950s, sang for the legendary Beny Moré and was lead singer with Los Bocucos, for much of his life his career was a story of disappointment. As a master vocalist in both son and bolero styles, he deserved to have been far better recognised than he was. At the time of the Buena Vista sessions, he was living in retirement, augmenting his pension by shining shoes. Invited to the Buena Vista sessions by Juan de Marcos González when a bolero singer was needed, he swiftly became a pivotal figure in the project. His first solo album, “Buena Vista Social Club Presents™: Ibrahim Ferrer”, was released in 1999. It was followed in 2003 by “Buenos Hermanos” (like its predecessor produced by Ry Cooder), which won him a Grammy. (He was denied entry into the U.S.A. to collect the award). He toured extensively with his own band and that of Rubén González. He died in 2005 just after completing a European tour and his final album, “Mi Sueño” (My Dream), appeared posthumously the following year.