Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz, with the nickname of Compay Segundo, was born in Siboney, Santiago de Cuba, on November 18, 1907.
Tresero. Musician of a large trajectory and composer having more than one hundred musical creations highlighting sones like Sarandonga, La Calabaza and Saludo Compay. Self-taught on tres and guitar, he created a new instrument of strings that he named ''El Armonico''. Some of his musical compositions, sones and guarachas are characterized by an imaginative content and high sense of humour.

He was clarinetist of the Municipal Band of Santiago de Cuba and the Municipal Band of Havana City, among others. Around of the 30 decade, he travelled to Mexico with Hatuey Quartet to participate in two films: Mexico Lindo and Tierra Brava, he recorded two disks with RCA Victor and was member of Cubanacán Quartet and Cuba Star Quintet, the latest conducted by Ñico Saquito. On the 40s, he integrated Matamoros Conjunto, where he had the priviledge of working with the remarkable musician Benny Moré. In 1942, he created Los Compadres Duo together with Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, outstanding exponent of the Cuban music, he remained there until 1953, then he assumed the nickname Compay Segundo achieving great recognition in his country and abroad.

On the 80s, he formed the musical group ''Compay Segundo y sus muchachos'' and they started presentations on cities of United States, such as Miami and Washington DC, travelling to Guadalupe and Trinidad Tobago achieving great popularity.

He has made presentations on cities of United States like Miami and Washington DC, he was a special guest of this last city in the Festival of American Traditional Cultures, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute. He has been touring also to Spain, England, Switzerland, Italy and France..

Despite his ample artistic career, is just in 1994, having 87 years old, that Compay Segundo started to be acclaimed by the European public and in 1997, he became the most popular sonero in Cuba with his Chan Chan. In the same year, together with other remarkable Cuban musicians was bestowed with a Grammy Award for the record Buenavista Social Club.

On April, 2002, he shared the scene at Palace of Congress in Paris, France with the luminary sonero Adalberto Alvarez in an homage concert for the cuban contribution on the 20th anniversary of Radio Latina`s foundation. In this same year, he was declared as Illustrious Son on Niza.

See discography in www.discuba.com