He had recently completed a month-long tour of Europe, including a show at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Netherlands, and was admitted to hospital afterwards.

Ferrer was born at a social club dance in Santiago, Cuba, on Feb. 20, 1927 when his mother suddenly went into labor. He began singing professionally at the age of 14.

By the 1950s, he was an established singer who performed with well-known Cuban bands, including that of the legendary Benny More, Orquesta de Chepin and the Afro-Cuban All Stars.

Ferrer was a master of the son and bolero styles, but was a forgotten name by the 1990s, supplementing a meager state pension in communist Cuba by shining shoes.

That changed completey when US guitarist Ry Cooder recruited him for the Buena Vista Social Club.

The 1997 record of the same name gave him an international reputation in his seventies, and led to numerous tours.

In 1999, a film directed by Wim Wenders, was released, showing Ry Cooder\'s work with the group of veteran Cuban musicians.

The aging musicians were catapulted to an unexpected second career and international fame.