Manuel Troncoso was a Dominican musician born in 1927 whose career spanned the better part of the twentieth century, placing him among the many unsung contributors to Dominican popular music history. Active across several decades, he was part of the rich musical ecosystem that sustained Dominican merengue and tropical music through its evolution from regional folk tradition to nationally and internationally recognized genre. Troncoso performed and contributed to the musical life of the Dominican Republic during a period of tremendous social and cultural change, and his work represents an important thread in the fabric of the country's popular music heritage. He passed away in 2012, leaving behind a legacy recognized by those who knew the depth and breadth of Dominican musical history.