Frankie Ruiz

Frankie Ruiz, born José Antonio Torresola Ruiz, was the electrifying, wounded heart of salsa romántica. From his early days with La Solución to his solo breakthrough with “La Cura,” Ruiz embodied a new kind of salsa star—young, passionate, and heartbreakingly honest.His debut solo album Solista Pero No Solo (1985) went gold, followed by Voy Pa’ Encima and En Vivo y a Todo Color, both Billboard-charting releases that cemented his popularity. Ruiz was the first salsa singer to have an album go platinum without crossover pop hits. With “Mi Libertad,” “Deseándote,” and “Ironía,” he built a catalog of emotional, danceable, and radio-friendly salsa that ruled the charts throughout the ’80s and early ’90s.He won multiple Premio Lo Nuestro awards, Billboard Latin Music accolades, and was posthumously honored with tributes across the Americas. Though his life was tragically short—passing away in 1998—his impact remains monumental. Frankie Ruiz gave salsa romántica its emotional core. He made pain melodic, sorrow danceable, and vulnerability powerful.