La Lupe - The Queen Does Her Own Thing (1969)

Singer La Lupe (born Guadalupe Victoria Yoli Raymond) became involved in music while finishing teacher training, performing live in different public places. In 1962, the artist, also known as La Yiyiyi, settled in New York, getting along with percussionist Mongo Santamaría and making a record called Mongo Introduces La Lupe in 1963. After a successful decade, in 1974, the Cuban-native artist recorded Un Encuentro con la Lupe, having the opportunity to play live at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1975 and team up with Tito Puente to make an album called La Pareja, released in 1978. La Lupe passed away in a New York hospital in February 1992. ~ Drago Bonacich