Margarita Pracatan

Santiago, Cuba. Her father was a union leader.^[1] She began to sing at home when she was three years old.^[1] Her family fled to the U.S. after the Cuban revolution. She worked in a store selling men's underwear while singing at night.^[1]

cable TV program in 1994 and invited her to the UK to appear on his show.^[2] He sweet-talked her into believing he was serious, and she signed up. Although he never mocked her openly, his introductions to her end-of-show performances contained teasing irony. James once said of Pracatan, "She never lets the words or melody get in her way. She is us, without the fear of failure."^[2]

DJ Martin Kelner also played her frequently on his BBC Night Network and BBC Radio 2 programmes.^{[citation needed}