Born on December 18, 1916, in Cienfuegos, he grew up as a poor black child who loved music, so his passion for playing an instrument accompanied his work as a shoeshine boy and a baker.

Loyola was part of important groups, among them the Conjunto Tradicional de Sones Los Naranjos, the Ritmica 39 –the embryo of the Aragon Orchestra- and the centenarian Municipal Concert Band of Cienfuegos, in which he performed since 1937. He also founded his own group, called The Efrain Loyola Orchestra.

Throughout his life, he was given some 150 prizes and awards, from the title of Member of Merit of the Association of Cuban Writers and Artists to the title of Distinguished Son of the City of Cienfuegos and the Jesus Menendez Order, granted by the Cuban Workers’ Confederation.

In 2008, the Mecenas Publishing House printed the book Flauta por flauta (Flute by Flute) (conversation with Efrain Loyola), by writer Luis Ramirez.

He was buried on Saturday morning in the local cemetery.

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