Right from start, Fania Records and its subsidiaries exceeded everybody's expectations. The label was created in 1964. It penetrated the market so successfully and became so popular at the international level that its executives decided to broaden its talent in order to reach an even wider audience. The result? The wildly successful Fania All Stars, a group that brought together several of the label's most popular artists. This move would further solidify the label's standing in the international music scene.
The Fania All Stars' first concert, "Live at the Red Garter," was a promotional experiment designed solely to test the waters. The all-star cast included Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Ray, and Bobby Cruz, and resulted in a live double album.
The experiment couldn't have been more successful.