Fernando Montilla, left, and Actor Jose Ferrer. Montilla died Tuesday in Miami at the age of 99. PRNewsFoto/Fred Montilla
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of the great names in both record pioneering and Latin music passed away Tuesday in Miami. He was 99. Fernando J. Montilla’s Spanish music can be found in the Academy Award winning film, “Around The World In 80 Days”.
Fernando’s company, Montilla Records, was one of the first record labels in the US, and grew to receive international fame with the discovery of artists such as Perez Prado. In the 1950’s, Montilla traveled to Spain to record world famous Flamenco guitarists Carlos Montoya, Andres Segovia and Sabicas and in 1977, Billboard Magazine published a full-page feature on The Montilla label.
Montilla was born May 30, 1915 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the 1920’s, Fernando traveled to New York, where he got his start in the music industry working for NBC as a radio engineer. During this time he worked with major radio stars, one of which was world famous Italian conductor, Arturo Toscanini, who recognized Fernando’s gifted “EAR” for sound and balance on radio and encouraged him to pursue a career in recording music.
After working in Bell Labs, become what numerous people consider “one of the forefathers in Stereo imaging.” Fernando enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1941 as a radio engineer on blimps, and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, where he worked setting up Navy radar systems in Brazil.
After the war Fernando relocated to Havana, Cuba to work with WCMQ radio as a sound engineer and help grow the station. During his time there he recorded young Cuban artists like Bola De Nieve and the legendary Benny More. Returning to New York with his family, he started Montilla Records, Inc. and discovered one of the best tenors, Alfredo Kraus, and signed him to the label.
Montilla continued to expand his musical recordings, producing over 150 records of music from Spain.
In 1965, Fernando moved back to Puerto Rico to open the largest Recording Studio and Tape and Record Manufacturing Complex in Latin America. Also, he acquired exclusive licensing & manufacturing rights for Latin America from A&M Records, Motown Records, ABC Records and, Blue Thumb.
In the 1980’s, Fernando moved his music recording operation to Miami and worked well into his 80’s.
Montilla was married 57 years to his wife Margaret, who predeceased him 11 years ago. He is survived by his four children, Fernando Junior and wife Tracy, Arlene, Edward and Michael and his 5 grandchildren, Jason, Marina and husband Adam, Alex, Harmony and Mila.
