MUSICIAN
Ray Barretto
1929 - 2006

Ray Barretto
Raymundo "Ray" Barretto Pagán (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006) was an American percussionist and bandleader of Puerto Rican descent. Throughout his career as a percussionist, he played a wide variety of Latin music styles, as well as Latin jazz. His first hit, "El Watusi", was recorded by his Charanga Moderna in 1962, becoming the most successful pachanga song in the United States. In the late 1960s, Barretto became one of the leading exponents of boogaloo and what would later be known as salsa. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ray Barretto is the 1,317th most popular musician (down from 1,157th in 2019), the 6,780th most popular biography from United States (down from 5,663rd in 2019) and the 480th most popular American Musician.
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Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Ray Barretto ranks 1,317 out of 3,175. Before him are Bonnie Raitt, Stan Kenton, Mike Mangini, Paweł Mąciwoda, Jack Nitzsche, and Issay Dobrowen. After him are Chrisye, Big Bill Broonzy, Patti Scialfa, Lee Kerslake, Prince Buster, and Mark Lanegan.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsBonnie Raitt
1949 - Present
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 1,311
Stan Kenton
1911 - 1979
HPI: 56.74
Rank: 1,312
Mike Mangini
1963 - Present
HPI: 56.74
Rank: 1,313
Paweł Mąciwoda
1967 - Present
HPI: 56.73
Rank: 1,314
Jack Nitzsche
1937 - 2000
HPI: 56.73
Rank: 1,315
Issay Dobrowen
1891 - 1953
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 1,316
Ray Barretto
1929 - 2006
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 1,317
Chrisye
1949 - 2007
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 1,318
Big Bill Broonzy
1903 - 1958
HPI: 56.70
Rank: 1,319
Patti Scialfa
1953 - Present
HPI: 56.68
Rank: 1,320
Lee Kerslake
1947 - 2020
HPI: 56.67
Rank: 1,321
Prince Buster
1938 - 2016
HPI: 56.67
Rank: 1,322
Mark Lanegan
1964 - 2022
HPI: 56.65
Rank: 1,323
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1929, Ray Barretto ranks 346. Before him are Avet Terterian, Klara Rumyanova, Walter Schleger, Ulu Grosbard, Ken Henry, and James Shigeta. After him are Klausjürgen Wussow, Sebastian Koto Khoarai, Birgitta Trotzig, Dmytro Pavlychko, Eberhard Jäckel, and Zbigniew Messner. Among people deceased in 2006, Ray Barretto ranks 242. Before him are Elizabeth Allen, Leon Niemczyk, Lou Rawls, Pjetër Arbnori, Theodore Levitt, and Runer Jonsson. After him are Paul Arizin, Wolfgang Unzicker, Jaroslav Pelikan, Frank Beyer, Jimmy Johnstone, and Eugene Lazowski.
Others Born in 1929
Go to all RankingsAvet Terterian
COMPOSER
1929 - 1994
HPI: 56.77
Rank: 340
Klara Rumyanova
ACTOR
1929 - 2004
HPI: 56.77
Rank: 341
Walter Schleger
SOCCER PLAYER
1929 - 1999
HPI: 56.76
Rank: 342
Ulu Grosbard
FILM DIRECTOR
1929 - 2012
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 343
Ken Henry
SKATER
1929 - 2009
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 344
James Shigeta
ACTOR
1929 - 2014
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 345
Ray Barretto
MUSICIAN
1929 - 2006
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 346
Klausjürgen Wussow
ACTOR
1929 - 2007
HPI: 56.56
Rank: 347
Sebastian Koto Khoarai
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1929 - 2021
HPI: 56.54
Rank: 348
Birgitta Trotzig
WRITER
1929 - 2011
HPI: 56.52
Rank: 349
Dmytro Pavlychko
WRITER
1929 - 2023
HPI: 56.51
Rank: 350
Eberhard Jäckel
HISTORIAN
1929 - 2017
HPI: 56.46
Rank: 351
Zbigniew Messner
ECONOMIST
1929 - 2014
HPI: 56.45
Rank: 352
Others Deceased in 2006
Go to all RankingsElizabeth Allen
ACTOR
1929 - 2006
HPI: 57.02
Rank: 236
Leon Niemczyk
ACTOR
1923 - 2006
HPI: 56.97
Rank: 237
Lou Rawls
SINGER
1933 - 2006
HPI: 56.96
Rank: 238
Pjetër Arbnori
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1935 - 2006
HPI: 56.95
Rank: 239
Theodore Levitt
ECONOMIST
1925 - 2006
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 240
Runer Jonsson
WRITER
1916 - 2006
HPI: 56.73
Rank: 241
Ray Barretto
MUSICIAN
1929 - 2006
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 242
Paul Arizin
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1928 - 2006
HPI: 56.59
Rank: 243
Wolfgang Unzicker
CHESS PLAYER
1925 - 2006
HPI: 56.52
Rank: 244
Jaroslav Pelikan
WRITER
1923 - 2006
HPI: 56.51
Rank: 245
Frank Beyer
FILM DIRECTOR
1932 - 2006
HPI: 56.47
Rank: 246
Jimmy Johnstone
SOCCER PLAYER
1944 - 2006
HPI: 56.40
Rank: 247
Eugene Lazowski
PHYSICIAN
1913 - 2006
HPI: 56.39
Rank: 248
In United States
Among people born in United States, Ray Barretto ranks 6,782 out of 20,380. Before him are Gregory Olsen (1945), Scott Patterson (1958), Almon Brown Strowger (1839), Jerry Schatzberg (1927), James Shigeta (1929), and Courtney B. Vance (1960). After him are Duane Hanson (1925), Erik Olin Wright (1947), Gina Torres (1969), Debra Jo Rupp (1951), Jane Bowles (1917), and Bob Backlund (1949).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsGregory Olsen
BUSINESSPERSON
1945 - Present
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,776
Scott Patterson
ACTOR
1958 - Present
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,777
Almon Brown Strowger
INVENTOR
1839 - 1902
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,778
Jerry Schatzberg
FILM DIRECTOR
1927 - Present
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,779
James Shigeta
ACTOR
1929 - 2014
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,780
Courtney B. Vance
ACTOR
1960 - Present
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,781
Ray Barretto
MUSICIAN
1929 - 2006
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,782
Duane Hanson
SCULPTOR
1925 - 1996
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 6,783
Erik Olin Wright
SOCIOLOGIST
1947 - 2019
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 6,784
Gina Torres
ACTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 6,785
Debra Jo Rupp
ACTOR
1951 - Present
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 6,786
Jane Bowles
WRITER
1917 - 1973
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 6,787
Bob Backlund
WRESTLER
1949 - Present
HPI: 56.71
Rank: 6,788
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Ray Barretto ranks 480. Before him are Kenny Burrell (1931), Nancy Wilson (1954), Bonnie Raitt (1949), Stan Kenton (1911), Mike Mangini (1963), and Jack Nitzsche (1937). After him are Big Bill Broonzy (1903), Patti Scialfa (1953), Mark Lanegan (1964), Timbaland (1972), Alan Wilson (1943), and Sonny Stitt (1924).
Kenny Burrell
1931 - Present
HPI: 56.79
Rank: 474
Nancy Wilson
1954 - Present
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 475
Bonnie Raitt
1949 - Present
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 476
Stan Kenton
1911 - 1979
HPI: 56.74
Rank: 477
Mike Mangini
1963 - Present
HPI: 56.74
Rank: 478
Jack Nitzsche
1937 - 2000
HPI: 56.73
Rank: 479
Ray Barretto
1929 - 2006
HPI: 56.72
Rank: 480
Big Bill Broonzy
1903 - 1958
HPI: 56.70
Rank: 481
Patti Scialfa
1953 - Present
HPI: 56.68
Rank: 482
Mark Lanegan
1964 - 2022
HPI: 56.65
Rank: 483
Timbaland
1972 - Present
HPI: 56.62
Rank: 484
Alan Wilson
1943 - 1970
HPI: 56.60
Rank: 485
Sonny Stitt
1924 - 1982
HPI: 56.58
Rank: 486