The popular folk music in Panama is called typical, also known as “pindín”. It is said that this music comes from the Sevillians of African descent who arrived on the isthmus at the beginning of the 16th century. Some of the instruments used are the guiro and the conga, but the accordion is by far the most important in creating the distinctive sound of the typical. This instrument is the main attraction of any typical music performance in a country that prefers rhythms with a Caribbean accent.

In the Azuero Peninsula, a region of Panama known as the “Cradle of Panamanian Culture”, early vallenata music was combined with salomas, a type of yodeling typical of Panama, and the typical one was born. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, many typical artists from Las Tablas and Chitré to David and Santiago performed at almost every festival and became local celebrities. However, in Panama City, the tipico was considered “cholo” or southern music.

With the help of the late revered tipico icon Victorio Vergara and other talented artists, tipico flourished in the 1990s and is a centerpiece of Panamanian culture today. Some of today’s most popular tipico artists include Ulpiano Vergara, Samy and Sandra Sandoval, and Nenito Vargas y Las Plumas Negras.

Ulpiano Vergara was born in San José, Las Tablas, and is considered the most popular current typical artist. Ulpiano is not known for his vocal contributions to his songs, however, he is famous for his talent with the accordion. A popular Ulpiano song is “Mil Maneras de Olvidarte”.

Samy and Sandra Sandoval are a sibling duo from Monagrillo, Herrera. At an early age, Samy began to play the accordion and Sandra accompanied him with the voice. They began to appear on the stages of their native Herrera and little by little they began to gain momentum in other provinces such as Coclé, Chiriquí, Veraguas and Los Santos. The pair’s popularity has risen due to the sensual style of dance combined with the pop and Afro-Caribbean rhythms infused into their music. A successful song by the duo is “Dale Donde Más le Duela”.

Nenito Vargas y Las Plumas Negras is also a very popular folk group, however their success has been overshadowed by their tragic and rocky history. Nenito took over from the group after the late Victorio Vergara, who was known as “El Tigre de la Candelaria”. Despite the death of some of the group’s members, Las Plumas Negras has been able to compose popular songs such as “No Sé Por Que no le Gusto”.

Típico is the music that is played most frequently throughout Panama, including places such as taxis, cantinas or bars, and other public places and events. It can often be heard blaring on a car radio as it speeds by, just as Americans would listen to hip hop, and most Panamanians could sing most songs in their sleep. Due to the upbeat rhythm and rich lyrics, it’s no wonder that people of all ages in Panama prefer tipico over merengue, bachata, salsa, and other Latin musical genres.