Ralfi Pagan

Born in 1947, Ralfi Pagan was a New York-based Latin soul and salsa singer of Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. He recorded songs in English and Spanish and recorded five studio albums until his untimely death in 1978. Ralfi released his first self-titled album under Fania Records in 1969. It was produced by Kenny Vance. Ralfi’s albums were lovingly produced by Fania’s co-founder Johnny Pacheco. His second Fania release, With Love (1972), includes songs written by Pagan and Joe Bataan. That sophomore recording also generated the hit single “Make It With You,” a cover written by David Gates and originally recorded by the pop-rock group Bread. Ralfi’s version of “Make It With You” entered the Billboard R&B chart in 1971, peaking at number 32. Ralfi’s popularity that year landed him a spot on the nationally syndicated TV show Soul Train, making him one of the first Latin artists to appear on the popular show.