Dafne Elba Elvira Roca, better known by her stage name Lona Warren, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 December 1922.
Her mother's family owned the "El Central" hotel in the city of Villa Gobernador Gálvez, Santa Fe province.
Some time later, she travelled to Buenos Aires with her father to stay with an aunt and cousin, Orlando, a young fan of jazz music.
Father and daughter stayed in Buenos Aires and her education continued, first at Pensionado de las Madres Franciscanas and then at the Domingo Faustino Sarmiento teacher training college.
[1] While at the Codwell Academy she met Raúl Sánchez Reynoso, the director of the Santa Paula Serenaders orchestra and he hired her as a singer.
[2] By 1943 she had performed with Joe Ríspoli in Cuatro Reyes y una Reina, Don Dean and appeared on Radio Belgrano with big band leader Raúl Marengo.
In 1951, she appeared as a soloist on an RCA Victor recording with an orchestra led by Vieri Fidanzini where she sang Hombre al que amo.
[1] In 1951 she joined the roster of soloists on Radio Belgrano, performing with house orchestras led by Raúl Bianchi and Dante Amicarelli.
She hosted a second programme on the same station El show de Lona Warren featuring as guests popular jazz musicians and groups.