Andy Russell

Andy Russell (born Andrés Rábago; September 16, 1919 – April 16, 1992) was an American popular singer, actor, and entertainer. He specialized in traditional pop and Latin music. He sold 8 million records in the 1940s wherein he sang bilingually in English and Spanish. His most successful songs included "Bésame Mucho", "Amor", and "What a Diff'rence a Day Made". He made appearances and performed on radio programs, most notably Your Hit Parade, in several movies, and on television. In 1954, he relocated to Mexico where he became a star of radio, television, motion pictures, records and nightclubs. He toured extensively throughout Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, and hosted the television variety show El Show de Andy Russell in Argentina from 1956 to 1965. Russell continued to record after he returned to the United States. His 1967 single "It's Such a Pretty World Today" reached #1 on the Easy Listening chart in Billboard Magazine. In later years, Russell performed internationally, occasionally recorded new songs, and made television appearances. Although these were well received, he did not regain his previous level of success. During his career, Russell received many international accolades and awards, most notably being recognized as the original Latino crossover artist who introduced American audiences to popular songs sung in English and Spanish, thus opening the doors for later Hispanic bilingual artists to do the same. Through a fusion of musical styles, rhythms and languages, he created music that appealed to diverse audiences, becoming one of the first cross-cultural, multinational musical artists.