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Cuban culture lost one of its most beloved figures this Thursday, musician Hermes Ramírez Silva, director of the Steel Band of El Cobre, who passed away at the age of 62 due to a stroke.
The news was confirmed by Cuscó Tarradell, following a direct conversation with Yailien Ramírez Montero, the daughter of the renowned musician, who expressed the family's deep sorrow over the loss of the maestro.
"Cuban culture bids farewell with deep sorrow to Hermes Ramírez Silva, director of the Steel Band of El Cobre, who passed away this Thursday at 5:30 a.m. at the Ambrosio Grillo hospital, at the age of 62, due to a stroke caused by high blood pressure," Tarradell expressed on Facebook.
Hermes leaves behind his wife, Gisela Montero, and three children, as well as a large musical family that accompanied him during more than three decades dedicated to Cuban music.
The artist's wake is taking place at the House of the Combatants in the town of El Cobre, where family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors can pay their respects. His body will be honored among the metallic drums that established him as one of the most unique musicians in Cuba.
Hermes Ramírez Silva began his career in the Amateur Artists Movement, and his talent led him to direct the Caribbean Steel Band and the Chepín-Chovén Orchestra, as well as to found and establish the iconic Steel Band del Cobre. A bassist, conductor, and arranger, Hermes was an innovator who brought the steel sounds of the Caribbean to stages around the world.
His legacy was immortalized in productions like “Pailas para Bailar,” and in the memories of those who witnessed him direct with energy and passion, raising his arms with the same intensity that made the steel drums resonate.
The Steel Band of El Cobre, founded in 1987 with drums brought from Trinidad and Tobago under the initiative of the intellectual Joel James Figarola, became under his leadership the oldest and most renowned steel orchestra in Cuba. Its unmistakable sound has accompanied the Fire Festival and has been heard by figures such as Pope Benedict XVI, presidents, and diplomats from various countries.
"La Steel Band brings fame to Cobre, because now it’s not just about the church, the mine, or the cimarrón; it’s also about the Steel Band," declared Hermes Ramírez in a interview given years ago to CiberCuba.
Ramírez was also a great teacher. He tirelessly worked with children and young people from Santiago, ensuring the continuity of a tradition that merges Caribbean rhythm with Cuban essence.
The artistic community of the island mourns his passing but celebrates the life of a man who knew how to extract music from steel and turn it into a symbol of identity. His rhythm will continue to resonate in every metallic beat of the Steel Band del Cobre.
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