Severo Alberto Borges Abreu, better known as Lino Borges, is a distinguished Cuban singer; he was born on August 8, 1933, in the town of Batabanó. Of peasant descent, he began singing at the request of his friends while working the land. He made his professional debut at the age of sixteen with JR González’s orchestra, where he played percussion and also performed boleros, songs, pasodobles, and other genres.

Over the years, he joined various groups such as Casablanca, Universal, Rumbavana, Casino, and Saratoga, a group with which he remained faithfully for two decades until he broke through with his solo career.

Lino Borges was frequently identified by the media as “The Voice of Bolero” due to his mastery of the genre, as evidenced by his extensive discography. He was one of the emblematic voices of bolero, whose recordings were widely distributed in the mid-20th century. His works “Vida Consentida” and “Corazon en Cristal” are two of his most famous and well-known interpretations.

In 1990, he attended the tribute for the 25th anniversary of Vida consentida, invited by Homero Parra. His presence became the artistic event of the year in Venezuela, a success that was revived in 1991 when he toured with the Saratoga group. From this point on, he made further appearances at the Bolero festivals in Colombia and Venezuela.

Lino Borges is recognized by Cuban musicologists as one of the most important male bolero singers in Cuba. His last performances were at the Salón Bolero (Dos Gardenias) (302 Calle 18, Miramar, Playa, Havana), where he was a star performer.

He died at the age of seventy-one, on August 23, 2003, in Havana, due to a lung condition. He was buried in the privacy of his family in his hometown of Batabanó. Lino had been performing in nightclubs for several years and was also in the midst of preparing for a tour of the Dominican Republic when he sadly passed away.