Cugat, Xavier

Cugat, Xavier

(1900–90) violinist, bandleader; born in Barcelona, Spain. Raised in Cuba, he first became popular in the United States in the 1920s with his tango orchestra; in the 1930s he introduced other Latin dance rhythms including the Cuban rumba. In the 1940s he appeared in many musical films, such as You Were Never Lovelier (1942). He promoted the popularity of Latin music in the United States.