Rosario (birth name:
Fernando Luis Rosario Marín) was born and raised in
Coamo, Puerto Rico, into a poor, but hard working family. His parents realized that as a child Willie was musically inclined and had him take
guitar lessons at the age of six. He received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. His mother also had him take
saxophone classes; however, what he really was interested in was the
conga. In 1941, he formed a band called Coamex but, a year later when he was 17 years old, his family moved to
New York City,
United States. The family rented an apartment in a
Manhattan community known as
Spanish Harlem. Rosario came into contact and played the conga for various orchestras. After he graduated from high school, he continued his education and studied journalism and public relations. On one occasion Rosario visited the
Palladium Ballroom in New York, where
Tito Puente was playing the
timbales. This was the beginning of his love affair with that instrument. He was 22 years old when he took classes with
percussionist Henry Adler. ==Rosario's first band==