Dan Storper, co-founder and CEO of Putumayo World Music, passed away on Thursday (May 22) at the age of 74, just two days after his birthday. Sources confirmed that he died peacefully at his home in New Orleans, surrounded by his family, after battling pancreatic cancer.
Jacob Edgar, founder of the Cumbancha label and a close friend and colleague of Storper for many years, shared a statement with Billboard Español: “Just three days ago, I posted a birthday message for Dan Storper, the founder of Putumayo World Music and my colleague and friend for almost 30 years. At that time, I knew that Dan was in his final days, but I couldn’t imagine a world without him. Yesterday he passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer.”
Edgar, who began working with Storper in 1998 after receiving what he called “the dream job that no one would dare to dream,” described the late visionary as “an exceptional human being,” he wrote. “Funny, energetic, passionate, perfectionist and compulsive. An extreme workaholic. He could drive you crazy, but you loved him anyway because he had good intentions and was a good person.”
In 2023, the globetrotting entrepreneur celebrated the 30th anniversary of his revolutionary record label. But Storper’s journey with Putumayo began long before the label existed. Originally in the 1970s, he opened a shop in New York that sold crafts and musical discoveries from his travels to Latin America, Africa, India, and other places. Over time, the store shifted its focus towards music. By 1993, it had become Putumayo World Music, a record label dedicated to curating global sounds for a wider audience, which he co-founded with Michael Kraus.
The label became an international success, known for its joyful and culturally diverse compilations. Recognized for its iconic album covers illustrated with vibrant colors and carefully curated playlists, Putumayo invited listeners to embark on musical journeys through different continents, bringing them closer to the rhythms, traditions, and languages of distant lands. Storper’s leadership helped bridge cultural gaps through the universal language of music.
In an interview with Billboard Español in 2023, Storper reflected on what he considered Putumayo’s mission. “I look back with some pride because we have introduced a lot of people to music they didn’t know, whether it’s Latin, African, Caribbean, European,” he said.
“The Putumayo company that I founded has been able to bring people together through music, and that’s something that I’m very proud of,” he added. “I think music is a very powerful tool for bringing people together and breaking down barriers.” Storper’s legacy will continue to live on through the music he shared with the world and the connections he helped create.