Photo: William P. Gottlieb / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I think of Xavier Cugat less as a bandleader and more as a bridge. Born in Girona, raised in Havana, and landing in New York as a teenager, he carried Cuban rhythm straight into America's ballrooms and made it impossible not to dance. What fascinates me is the mix of charm and shrewdness underneath that sunny sound; the man clearly understood both music and showmanship. Living from 1900 to 1990 and earning a Hollywood star, he shaped how the United States heard Latin music. I admire that kind of cheerful, calculated ambition more than I expected to.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Xavier Cugat
- Name (Japanese)
- ザビア・クガート
- Reading
- ざびあ・くがーと
- Born
- January 1, 1900 – October 27, 1990
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rat
- Origin
- Girona, Spain
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / conductor / singer / bandleader / film score composer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1990 Saint George's Cross
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.xaviercugat.org
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B6%E3%83%93%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AF%E3%82%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88
Frequently asked questions
When was Xavier Cugat born?
January 1, 1900 – October 27, 1990.
Where is Xavier Cugat from?
Xavier Cugat is from Girona, Spain.
What does Xavier Cugat do?
Xavier Cugat works as composer, conductor, singer, bandleader, film score composer.
Composer — see all → · Conductor — see all → · More people from Spain →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.