Fernando Collazo Hernández, a prominent Cuban musician, was born on August 21, 1902, in San Antonio de los Baños, Havana. He began his musical career with a duo he formed with Enrique García. He later worked with the sextet Lira de Redención, led by Antonio Montalvo. He later founded Septeto Cuba. This group was the second of its kind to incorporate the piano.
This Cuban singer alternated his group with the sextets led by Ignacio Piñeiro, El Habanero and El Nacional, performing in theaters and dance halls not only in the Cuban capital but also in other cities across the country. He was part of the first short musical sound film in Cuba, Maracas y Bongó, alongside his septet and actress Yolanda González.
When Aniceto Díaz’s first danzonete, Rompiendo la rutina, premiered in 1929 in Matanzas, Fernando Collazo, along with the Gris orchestra, was the first to sing it in the capital. The artist established himself as a singer with his interpretation of this new musical genre. Due to his performance quality and his already renowned artistic career, he was invited to work with the orchestras of Antonio María Romeu, Belisario López, Armando Valdespí, and Estanislao Serviat.
Fernando Collazo was the founder and director of the Maravilla del Siglo orchestra. He toured extensively and performed in several countries, including Spain, France, Mexico, and the United States. He traveled to Spain in association with pianist Armado Valdés Torres. In Paris, France, he met Cuban pianist René Izquierdo, with whom he performed in various venues.
Among his compositions, we must mention his boleros: Cubana, El beso diabólico, and Margarita; in the Danzonete genre, we find Graciela, Igual que yo, Levántate, mujer, Mi corazón en tus pupils, and Mi último canto. He also composed songs such as La campana and El príncipe marino.
Fernando Collazo is a figure of Cuban culture. He was part of the distinguished group of Cuban musicians who succeeded in establishing Cuban rhythms in the Old Continent. He died on October 16, 1939, in Havana.