Rolando Valdés-Blain (8 March 1922 – 2 April 2011) was a Cuban classical guitarist, born in Havana, and immigrated to New York as a child.

He served in Burma from 1942 to 1946 during World War II and afterwards studied at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, where he was awarded the Grand Prize for concert guitar playing by Joaquín Rodrigo.

Bill, with Regino Sainz de la Maza at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, where he was awarded the Grand Prize for concert guitar playing.

His performances included major radio networks in New York as well as in South America, most notably in Caracas, Venezuela, San Juan and Puerto Rico.

Under the management of impresario Sol Hurok, Valdés-Blain performed as guitar accompanist with the Spanish Ballet Company in Canada, South America and in the United States.

He appeared on stage on Broadway,[3] including as the guitarist in Tennessee Williams's play Camino Real, directed by Elia Kazan,[4] and he composed and performed the music for Leslie Stevens's Bullfight.

[2] In 1955–56, Valdés-Blain appeared as a featured soloist with the Radio City Music Hall Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Raymond Page.

In 1967, The Philadelphia Inquirer praised Valdés-Blain as an "excellent guitarist …expressive beyond expectation" and a musician who "... meshed solo lines precisely and impassively spiced them with virtuoso playing that included even, clear trills.

Throughout his life-time, Valdés-Blain and his wife Joan maintained a close friendship with Carmen Amaya, who is arguably considered to be one of the greatest flamenco dancers of all time.