As I’ve said before, one of the benefits of my work is not only meeting a wide range of people but also hearing of their stories and experiences. I find I’m always learning something new.

Recently one of my customers, who came to in have some music from a band he was in converted to a CD, told me a story about the father of one of his band members. Seems the dad cultivated a bit of fame back in the day using the name Rey Mambo. It wasn’t his real name, which was Marvin Baumel, but when he got swept up in the Latin craze in the early 50s, music promoters said the public would never accept a Latin band fronted by a Jewish man. So he made up a name more fitting for the music he was playing… Rey Mambo. And a star was born.

Back in the day, most hotels in South Florida would have a house Latin band… think Ricky Ricardo and the Tropicana Club (later renamed Club Babalu) from the I Love Lucy show (pictured above). Rey Mambo and his band was a part of that vibrant scene on the beaches of Miami.

Here’s a short educational documentary that tells a lot of his story. I found it fascinating and charming. I hope you enjoy it too.

The Story of Rey Mambo from Carl Hersh on Vimeo.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio cassettes, photos and slides. For more information call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.