20 Years On, That Buena Vista Social Club Magic Endures
The group's debut album was an unlikely smash: old-fashioned songs performed by mostly elderly Cuban musicians. Two decades later, its impact still resonates on the island — and beyond.
Twenty years ago this month, Americans were introduced to the romantic sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club. It was an unlikely group of stars: mostly elderly musicians from Cuba playing very old-fashioned music. But when the group's debut album was released in 1997, it wound up selling millions of records around the world.
started out as a very different album from the one you know. The previous year, British record producer Nick Gold and American guitarist had the idea to show
