one of them started with luis russell. he made fantastic contribution with louis armstrong. they made some records. he grew up in panama until he was 17 years old. he won a lottery, actually, to come to the united states. >> hinojosa: and there's also... you were telling me this other story-- billie holiday, "strange fruit," which is the billie holiday song. >> yeah, the piano player in that recording is sonny white, actually. >> hinojosa: who's also panamanian? >> panamanian. fantastic. >> hinojosa: so you were growing up in panama, pretty humble background. >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: poor. >> yes. >> hinoja: b youpares were very much involved in music, your father. >> yeah. >> hinojosa: so talk about those memories of what you were hearing in panama. what was your life in music as a young boy growing up? >> well, my father was in love with cuban pianists. actually, lino frias, he was in love with a lot of the great artists from panama. but mainly piano players. and he actually introduced me to a fantastic pianist from puerto rico called papo lucca. and my father would sing to