[1] At 8 years of age, Chappottín began to study cornet under Venancio González; he later took up the tuba, the oboe and the euphonium.

[1][2] With the Habanero, Chappottín recorded several 78 rpm singles for Victor between February 1928 and 1930, when he left the band for economic reasons, being replaced by José Interián.

In the 1940s, after the disbandment of Carabina de Ases, Chappottín joined several conjuntos: América, Gloria Cubana, Anacaona (directed by Concepción Castro), Azul (directed by Chano Pozo), Los Jóvenes del Cayo and finally Arsenio Rodríguez's popular conjunto, in 1950.

[1] Chappottín is widely regarded as the founder of the modern Cuban trumpet style due to his innovative approach in the development of son cubano between the 1920s and 1950s.

[2][4] According to Craig Harris, writer for AllMusic, Chappottín "continued to inspire Afro-Cuban music with his sweet-toned trumpet playing for more than six decades".