Pablo Milanés

Pablo Milanés Arias (born in Bayamo, Cuba on February 24, 1943) is a Cuban singer-songwriter and guitar player. He studied at a conservatory in Havana. He is considered one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova, along with Silvio Rodríguez and Noel Nicola. He is a pianist and guitarist whose Brazilian-like melodies set him apart from the raw style of Silvio Rodríguez. While fully supportive of the Cuban Revolution, Milanés has been publicly critical of some aspects of the Cuban regime. He took official positions but, lately, he has allegedly avoided participating in pro-government campaigns; On January 25, 2007, he signed a petition supporting Puerto Rico's independence from the United States of America. A number of artists have performed with him; among them Silvio Rodríguez, Joaquín Sabina, Ana Belén, Lilia Vera, Joan Manuel Serrat, Víctor Manuel, etc. Among his songs, "Yolanda", "Yo me quedo", "Amo a esta isla", "Yo pisaré las calles nuevamente", "Para Vivir", and "El breve espacio en que no estás" are especially well-known.