Carlos Manuel Pruneda
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Carlos Manuel Pruneda (born 1972) is a Cuban singer, known simply as "Carlos Manuel".
[edit] Career in Cuba
Pruneda had been a member of the Mayohuacan, Carapacho and Irakere groups in Cuba, and had had success within Cuba as vocalist with Carlos Manuel y su Clan, which he founded in 1997. In 2001, he was voted the most popular artist in Cuba, Clan decreed the best new band, and his song "Malo Cantidad" the most listened to.
[edit] Move to the United States
Pruneda made headlines in 2003 after his defection from his country.
He saw limited opportunities of progress internationally because, according to him, the Cuban government restricted his chances of becoming famous abroad.
Famous Venezuelan singer Ricardo Montaner then came to his help, offering Pruneda to take him on tour to Mexico, as an opening act at Montaner's shows. Pruneda left Cuba with his mother, Maritza Macias, under the excuse that he was going to Mexico to perform.
After Montaner's Mexico City concert, Pruneda and Macias boarded a bus that took them to Monterrey. From Monterrey, they arrived at Los Fresnos, Texas, a border city where they were arrested. They spent two days in jail there, being released after the naturalization services had proven that they were from Cuba.
Pruneda and his mother then arrived in Miami, where they currently reside. From Miami, he plans to promote his Enamorao (In Love) album.
His former bandmembers have continued to play in Cuba as El Clan, later Pedro Camacho y El Clan.
[edit] External links
- www.carlosmanuelsinger.com and www.cubansinger.com are his official webpages - links not valid February 2006.
Article on www.timba.com
