Quiñones was born on 22 June 1948 into a musical family in San Germán, Puerto Rico. He started his formal musical studies at the Free School of Music in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico where he later worked for 17 years as a piano teacher. He earned a BA degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Applied Piano, under the tutelage of Professor Charles P. Phillips, and earned the prize of Most Distinguished Student from the University’s Department of Music in 1966.

But his knowledge of danza came primarily from his youthful experiences playing with dance orchestras, and playing piano with his uncle who was an accomplished trombonist and adept at danzas.

The sense of rhythm and style of danzas led him to compose danzas. His most noted work was “A Sylvia”, inspired by his wife of that name.

His danzas compositions were reknown and recognized by such organizations as the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and others; accumulating more than 20 awards, 11 of them for first place.

Quiñones composed all his danzas for piano and only three have lyrics, one of which was commissioned and is today the official hymn of the town of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. Another, entitled El Abanico was an interpretation of the language of the fan. His last composition was Hymno de Mayagüez, which was selcted as the official hymn of the town of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in a competition in 1999.