Frankie Ruiz

Frankie Ruiz was born José Antonio Ruiz Nieves in Paterson, New Jersey in 1958. He started singing with Tommy Olivencia's orchestra in the late 1970s, and his 1986 song 'Deseándote' became a salsa standard. That track, along with others like 'Tu Con El' and 'Tú Me Vuelves Loco,' helped define his sound during the 1980s.

His voice had a particular warmth that worked across different styles within salsa, from romantic ballads to more rhythmic numbers. He recorded several albums through that decade, including 'Solista,' 'Mi Libertad,' and 'Voy Pa' Encima.'

Ruiz's personal life was marked by struggles with addiction and legal issues. In 1998, he was sentenced to prison for cocaine possession. He died later that same year at age 40.

His recordings from the 1980s and early 1990s remain popular in salsa circles, and songs like 'Desnúdate Mujer' and 'Nunca Te Quedas' still get regular play on Latin radio stations.