Rafael Méndez Arceo, born on 26 March 1906 in Jiquilpan, Mexico, was a trumpeter known for blending classical, jazz, and Mexican styles. He began playing cornet in 1911 and entered the professional circuit shortly after, eventually relocating to the United States where he joined the Mutual Broadcasting System Orchestra and signed with MGM in 1939. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he released a series of albums for Decca, including The Singing Trumpet (1959), The Trumpet Magic Of Rafael Méndez (1961), and Together (1967). He also toured extensively across Spain. In 1966, he returned to recording with a multi‑track technique, producing Trumpet Showcase (1973) and The Best of (1976). Rafael Méndez Arceo died on 15 September 1981. Posthumously, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a music library at Arizona State University.
