Carmen Delia DipinàPiñero (November 18, 1927 â August 4, 1998) was a Puerto Rican singer of boleros. In 2002, she was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
Dipinàwas born in Naguabo to Justo DipinàCastro and Concepción Piñero Medina. Dipinàoften entertained her family and friends as a child with her singing. She attended the Eugenio Brac Elementary School where one of the teachers, Mrs. Brenes, realized that Dipinàwas talented as a singer and encouraged the 7-year-old student to become a singer. In 1941, when she was 14 years old, Dipinàwent with her parents to San Juan with the intention of participating in a radio talent show. As a result, she would make her radio singing debut on the radio program of Rafael Quiñones Vidal.
In 1948, DipinÃÂ, who had befriended fellow Puerto Rican singer Ruth Fernández, left for New York City at her friend's recommendation. While in New York, she participated and won the first place prize in a talent show held at the Triboro Theater. Part of the prize was a singing contract with Johnny Albino y El TrÃÂo San Juan and she would go on to record her first hit "El dÃÂa que nacàyo" ("The Day I Was Born") with the trio.
While in New York she worked in various theaters and nightclubs. She received an offer from another recording company, Seeco Records, and recorded a tango titled "Besos de fuego" ("Kisses of Fire") which earned her international acclaim. She later joined Johnny RodrÃÂguez's band, for whom she sang and recorded the following songs:
She had many fans in places as far as Venezuela and Mexico. DipinÃÂ lived in Mexico for seven years and was contracted by both Columbia Records and RCA-Victor Records. One of her hits with RCA was "Especialmente para ti" ("Especially for You"). Dipini recorded with the Cuban and Afro-Cuban group Sonora Matancera in Havana, Cuba for a short time.
When she returned to Puerto Rico, she joined Tito RodrÃÂguez and later recorded "Somos el prójimo", the Spanish version of "We Are The World". She also recorded a tribute to Sylvia Rexach with the quartet Los Hispanos. Among her last recordings were the songs "Amor perdido" ("Lost Love") and "Congoja" ("Anguish"). She had made over thirty albums in her lifetime.
Dipinàdied on August 4, 1998, and is buried in the Braulio Dueño Colón Cemetery in Bayamón. The city of Bayamón dedicated an artistic center to Dipinànamed Café Teatro Carmen Delia DipinÃÂ. In 2002, Carmen Delia Dipinàwas inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.