Puerto Rican Johnny Ray (born Johnny Zamot) started playing Latin percussion while living in New York, signing to Decca Records after assembling his first group, called the Johnny Zamot Band. Soon they were climbing the charts with his first hit, a tropical song titled "Fat Mama." Johnny Ray's second band was Society 76, with trumpet players Ray Maldonado and Larry Spencer, trombonist José Rodríguez, and pianist Paquito Pastore, and achieved hits with "Bandolera" and "You're My Everything." Later, Johnny Ray founded his own label, releasing Suavecito and Dale Pa'arriba, and issued Romantico con Salsa in 2001 after signing up to Univision Music Group.