Who co-founded Fania Records with Johnny Pacheco?

Jerry Masucci co-founded Fania Records with Johnny Pacheco.

Fania Records was established in New York City in 1964 by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Brooklyn-born American lawyer and promoter Jerry Masucci. Pacheco supplied musical leadership and industry connections, while Masucci helped finance, organize, and promote the label. In its early days, the partners sold records directly to music stores and built a roster centered on New York’s Latin musicians.

Fania became one of the defining institutions of salsa. Pacheco formed the Fania All-Stars in 1968, bringing together leading singers and instrumentalists; their celebrated 1971 performance at the Cheetah club helped cement the movement’s public identity. Fania also released or promoted work by Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Ray Barretto, and many others.

Masucci later bought out Pacheco’s share and became the label’s sole owner. That history can cause confusion, but it does not change the answer to the founding question: Masucci and Pacheco were the co-founders.