The "Cuban son" is rock and roll's oldest uncle. This is the claim made by Robert Palmer, one of the most respected musicologists of all time.

The Cubans Los Hot Rockers, formed by pianist Raul Ondira and singer Tony Escarpenter, are still credited by many with pioneering the genre in the Spanish language.

Son is also, of course, the father of salsa and the half-brother of mambo and cha-cha-cha. More than that, it is the most perfect fusion of African and Iberian music together with the Brazilian Samba, which gave rise to Bossa Nova and was a great influence on Disco Music with groups like Earth Wind and Fire being inspired by Brazilian records from the 60s and 70s