He was born in Santiago de Las Vegas.
He was a researcher with the Institute of Folklore and Ethnology at the Cuban Academy of Sciences.
He authored several books on Cuban music, including El bolero latina, Musica por el caribe, and the reference work Cuban Music from A to Z.
He was also a TV host, fronting the show Arte y folklore.
As a practicing musician, Orovio played with many bands, including Conjunto Jovenes del Cayo.