El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico was founded in 1962.
The orchestra emerged from the musical circle around Rafael Ithier, who had worked with Rafael Cortijo’s celebrated combo. After members of that group dispersed, Ithier assembled former colleagues for recording sessions connected with Dominican singer Joseíto Mateo and the Gema label. The new ensemble adopted the name El Gran Combo.
Its first public radio appearance came on May 21, 1962, in Puerto Rico. The group’s early recordings included Menéame los mangos, and its initial lineup featured singers such as Pellín Rodríguez, Daniel Vázquez and Chiquitín García. Andy Montañez joined soon afterward and became one of the orchestra’s defining voices.
A common mix-up is treating 1963 as the founding year because that is when the group released several important early albums, including Acángana. The orchestra’s 1962 origin, however, is the standard historical answer.