Born in the Dominican Republic, Pacheco became a leading figure in the New York salsa scene in the 1960s and 1970s as the founder and musical director of Fania Records.

He popularized the use of the term "salsa" and established the Fania All-Stars to showcase the leading artists of the genre,[3] which propelled him to worldwide fame and had an important role in the evolution of Latin music.

Juan Pablo Pacheco Knipping was born on 25 March 1935 in Santiago de los Caballeros, a city in the Dominican Republic.

[5] He inherited his passion for music from his father, Rafael Azarías Pacheco, who was the leader and clarinetist of the Orquesta Santa Cecilia.

One of the leading Dominican big bands of the 1930s, the Orquesta was the first to record Luis Alberti's merengue "Compadre Pedro Juan".

In the following year, he co-founded The Chuchulecos Boys with Eddie Palmieri on piano, Barry Rogers on trombone and other future figures of renown in the New York salsa scene: Al Santiago, Mike Collazo and Ray Santos.

Their first promotional single "El güiro de Macorina"/"Óyeme mulata", received much airplay in New York from DJ Rafael Font.

He named the label after the song "Fanía" by Reinaldo Bolaños, made famous by Estrellas de Chocolate in Cuba in 1960.

Except for the closing song on the album "Dakar, punto final", all the songs were covers, including the aforementioned "Fanía", the title track and "El kikirikí" by Evaristo Aparicio, Eduardo Angulo's "Cabio sile yeyeo", Cheo Marquetti's "Pinareño" and Walfrido Guevara's "Labrando la tierra", all by popular Cuban artists of the 1950s and 1960s.

[17] Among the stars featured in the concert were pianist Larry Harlow, bassist Bobby Valentín and conguero Ray Barretto.

He collaborated with Celia Cruz, Justo Betancourt, Papo Lucca, Pupi Legarreta, Luis "Melón" Silva, Celio González and José Fajardo, among others.

[21] Pacheco performed in the 1988 AIDS benefit concert "Concierto Por La Vida", held at Avery Fisher Hall.

[23] The Johnny Pacheco Latin Music and Jazz Festival is an annual event that is held in mid-November at Lehman College.

In 1996, the then-President of the Dominican Republic, Joaquín Balaguer, conferred the prestigious Presidential Medal of Honor on Pacheco.

In June 1996, Johnny Pacheco became the first Latin music producer to receive the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) Governor's Award.

[31] In 2007, Pacheco was portrayed by Nelson Vasquez in the movie El Cantante, starring Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez.

[32] On 24 March 2009, Pacheco was awarded "El Soberano", the highest distinction given by the Association of Art Columnists of the Dominican Republic.

[34] A resident of Fort Lee, New Jersey, Pacheco died at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck on 15 February 2021, aged 85, after being admitted to the hospital with pneumonia-related complications.

[36] With Melanie With George Benson With Kenny Burrell With J. J. Johnson With Johnny Lytle With Les McCann With McCoy Tyner With Kai Winding