Toño Rosario

Máximo Antonio del Rosario Almonte—professionally known as Toño Rosario—was born on November 3, 1955, in Higüey, Dominican Republic, and first rose to fame as a founding member of the influential merengue band Los Hermanos Rosario in 1978. Through the 1980s, the group became a regional powerhouse, captivating audiences with albums like ¡Vienen Acabando! (1980) and Vol. 3 (1985), before Toño Rosario embarked on a solo career in 1990, debuting with Y más..., which was followed by Atado a Ti (1991) and Retorno a las raíces (1992), albums that earned gold and platinum certifications and sustained chart success on Billboard’s Tropical Albums charts. Throughout the 1990s, he released acclaimed works including Amor Jollao (1993), Me Olvidé de Vivir (1994), Quiero Volver a Empezar (1995)—one of the best-selling albums in Latin-merengue history—and Seguiré (1997), further cementing his solo legacy. The turn of the millennium brought his most celebrated album, Yo Soy Toño (2000), earning him a Grammy nomination and platinum certification. In 2004, Resistiré became a commercial and critical hit, with the title track reaching number 4 on the U.S. Tropical Songs chart and earning nominations at the Latin Grammy and Billboard Latin Music Awards. His vibrant live energy also made him the first solo merengue artist to sell out venues like Madison Square Garden and Altos de Chavón. Into the 2000s and beyond, he continued to release successful live albums—such as En Vivo: El Original (2006)—and best-of compilations that kept his greatest hits in rotation. One of his most enduring songs, “Kulikitaka,” emerged from an onstage improvisational moment and became a cultural phenomenon in the 2000s, still widely played in parties and even resurfacing as a viral challenge in the early 2020s, illustrating the timeless appeal of his electrifying merengue. The 2020s also saw the release of the two-part album El Kuko No Asusta, Enamora (2020), Espacio de Bachata (2022), and El Kuko Está en la Calle (2023).