The influence of Latin American music on American popular music comes mostly from South American and Cuban dance music, starting with The Peanut Vendor in 1928 and The Carioca, an Oscar winning dance hit for Fred Astaire in 1934. The 1940s ushered in the popularity of Latin hits by Xavier Cugat (Brazil), Stan Kenton (Tampico) and Jimmy Dorsey (Besame Mucho), while Carmen Miranda and Desi Arnaz sizzled on the big screen. In the fifties chart success came to mambo king Prez Prado with Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White and Mexican rock & roller Ritchie Valens with La Bamba. The 1960s was a mixed bag with the folky Guantanamera, Herb Alpert’s pop mariachi instrumental, The Lonely Bull, and Grammy winner Girl From Ipanema by Getz & Gilberto. Move your feet or sing along with this high energy, upbeat program!

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John Clark grew up in a small town in Ohio, attended college in Illinois and graduate school north of Boston. In Atlanta he taught adult education for twenty years for Emory University and Mercer University, creating classes on Bob Dylan, Fifties and Sixties music and a series called Lyrics as Literature. From 2008-2014 he was a high school history and English teacher. Since moving to Boston ten years ago, he has taught adult education for Brandeis, Tufts, Cambridge, Newton and Brookline. In 2023 he presented over 300 American Music history lectures for senior living communities and Councils on Aging. His is also an occasional guest disc jockey on MIT’s radio station, WMBR (88.1).