Rio Abajo, Panama

Panamanian El General (born Edgardo A. Franco) began singing and composing songs at the age of 12 in his native Rio Abajo. After getting a scholarship, the young artist moved to the U.S. to study business administration, soon becoming a professional accountant. Nevertheless, he realized that music was his real passion and decided to start a singing career. El General's first record was called "Tu Pum Pum"; he soon after issued his debut album, Estas Buena, which featured the hit single "Te Ves Buena." 1991's Muevelo Con el General allowed him to start touring Latin America. In 1992, his catchy "Muevelo," a mixture of Latin rap and Jamaican reggae, achieved an MTV award for Best Latin Video. El Poder Del General, released in 1993, featured a new hit for Edgardo Franco, a merengue called "Caramelo." ~ Drago Bonacich