Antonio Cabán Vale,[note 1] (November 22, 1942 – July 23, 2024), also known as "El Topo", was a guitarist, singer and composer of Puerto Rican folkloric themes.
[2] Cabán Vale was born and raised in the town of Moca, which is located in the western part of Puerto Rico, where he received his primary and secondary education.
[3] Verde Luz has been interpreted by the late Argentine singer Ginamaría Hidalgo, and Puerto Rican singers Chucho Avellanet, Roy Brown, Lucecita Benítez, Tony Croatto, Lou Briel, Nano Cabrera, Carmen Nydia Velázquez, José Feliciano, Silverio Pérez, and Dagmar.
The first, entitled Un Lugar Fuera de Tiempo (A Place from Another Time), is based on his experiences as a young man in his hometown of Moca; the second, Penultima Salida (Next-to-Last Exit), deals with his personal quest for "truth".
[3] In 2001, the 6th International Book Fair, celebrated at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, was dedicated to Antonio "El Topo" Cabán Vale.