Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Renowned Cuban musician dies
09-08-2006

HAVANA, Cuba (UPI): Renowned Cuban musician Richard Egues, known for his songwriting and flute playing, has died in Havana at the age of 82.

Egues reportedly suffered from a brain lesion before his death, The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

Cuba-controlled news outlet Granma said Egues died September 1.

"He had a very sweet sound," Raul Fernandez, a professor of social studies at the University of California-Irvine and a Cuban music scholar, told the Times.

"He was really the first person in all of Cuban popular music who was an upfront soloist, replacing the vocalists who had been the stars until then."