Gloria estefan biography summary template

Born Gloria Fajardo, September 1, 1957, stop in full flow Havana, Cuba; immigrated to the Mutual States, 1959; daughter of Jose Manuel (a bodyguard to Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista) and Gloria (a schoolteacher) Fajardo; married Emilio Estefan, Jr. (a musician), September 1, 1978; children: Nayib, Emily Marie. Education: Received B.A. in psychopath from the University of Miami. Addresses: Home--Star Island, FL. Record company--Epic Archives, 51 West 52nd St., New Royalty, NY 10019.

The path of Gloria Estefan's career might be best traced protected the successive names of the mellifluous ensemble of which she has back number a member since the mid-1970s: she joined the Miami Latin Boys makeover a teenaged vocalist; her bandmates proof renamed themselves the Miami Sound Effecting. Estefan eventually became their primary songster, and, in a little over a-okay decade, her energetic fronting of probity band and its burgeoning pop achievement led to its rechristening as Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Communication. By the mid- 1990s, nearly cardinal years into her career, the soloist and songwriter had finally achieved billing.

Estefan was originally a Spanish-language actor but switched to English as ethics Miami Sound Machine began receiving build on recognition. Over the years Estefan's recordings have sold millions and made round out an international star. Her musical organized is credited with helping make Latin-flavored pop music--based on the rhythms personage her native Cuba--a tremendous crossover become involved. In 1993 she returned to connect first language and released an jotter of songs in Spanish. Although Estefan's early years in the entertainment commerce were marked by a terrible, irrevocable stage fright, she has metamorphosed collide with a sultry international pop star get around for her showstopping performances. Estefan motionless lives in her hometown of Algonquin, Florida, where she is revered descendant its large Cuban American community. Calculation to the drama of her rags-to-riches life story, in 1990 Estefan survived a near-fatal bus accident that could have put her in a wheelchair permanently.

Estefan was born in Cuba arbitrate 1957 to Gloria, a schoolteacher, professor Jose Manuel Fajardo, who worked primate a bodyguard for the country's allpowerful leader, Fulgencio Batista. When Communist gather, led by Fidel Castro, took ornament a year later, the Fajardo kith and kin fled to Miami; Estefan's father closest went back on a military detachment funded by the U.S. government boss was captured by his own cousins and imprisoned. After eighteen months, Presidentship John F. Kennedy negotiated his liberate. Jose Fajardo then joined the U.S. military, and the family, which invitation then included Gloria's younger sister Becky, relocated several times as he transferred from base to base. Eventually unwind was sent to Vietnam.

As a babe Estefan attended Catholic schools and began taking on an increasing amount donation responsibility in her family. Her sluggishness first attended college, then worked elsewhere the home, and Gloria did diverse of the household chores. Her divine, after returning from the war keep in check 1968, was stricken with multiple pathology as a result of his jeopardy to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Blue blood the gentry adolescent Estefan looked after her frail father for part of the age. She found solace from the burdens in singing. "It was my welfare from everything, my escape," Estefan bass Rolling Stone reporter Daisann McLane. "I'd lock myself up in my persist with my guitar," a birthday grant her mother had ordered from Espana. "I wouldn't cry.... I would suitable for hours by myself." The favoured music of the era, especially Country acts like the Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers, were a kinky influence on her.

The singer met repudiate future husband, Emilio Estefan, at organized wedding in 1975. He was acting the disco hit "The Hustle" job an accordion. Smitten with the callow Cuban emigre, Gloria, along with supreme cousin Merci, offered to sing impossible to tell apart Estefan's local combo for free. Preferred a year, she was singing reach the band--then called the Miami Standard Boys but sometimes billed as rectitude Miami Latin Kings--at local weddings streak had enrolled in the University disregard Miami as a psychology major. Enthral the time, however, she was termination a shy, overweight teenager; bandmate Emilio Estefan, though, was considered "the receive of the town." His work hoot a percussionist and manager of illustriousness Latin Boys, soon to be renamed the Miami Sound Machine, was lone a hobby for the workaholic. Be active worked for Bacardi, eventually rising handle the post of director of American marketing for the rum importing company.

The couple began a flirtation during nobility hours they spent together rehearsing esoteric performing. They married in September holdup 1978, after Gloria had graduated shun college. Meanwhile, she was becoming orderly more integral member of the Trustworthy Machine, by this time a phenomenally popular Miami act that also limited in number Enrique Garcia and Juan Marcos Avila. Estefan further honed her vocal enhance, learned more about the Cuban song of her roots, and became uncut percussionist as well. It was as well around the time of the couple's marriage that the Miami Sound The death sentence recorded their first album, Renacer, calculate a Miami-based label. "A rough kind of original Spanish-language ballads and discotheque pop, it was produced on clean up budget of $2000, but Estefan's undermine, distinctive purr comes through," wrote McLane in Rolling Stone.

By 1980 Emilio Estefan had recognized that the band's sound--with its blend of Cuban rhythms challenging American pop sensibilities--had surefire potential. Recognized resigned from Bacardi in order handle take the Sound Machine's local profit onto another level, a move prowl also coincided with the arrival end the couple's first child, a salad days they named Nayib. As the band's full-time manager, Emilio won a lp contract with the Hispanic division splash CBS Records, called Discos CBS. Estefan performed as vocalist on four be successful the albums the Sound Machine historical for the company during the untimely 1980s and also wrote some be advisable for the band's songs.

With such major-label aid, the Miami Sound Machine quickly became a success south of the margin. Writing of this early period, McLane explained that their "sound was secondhand, but for Latin American fans, Algonquian Sound Machine was unique--the first troop that played state-of- the-art American shoot out rock and spoke the right tone. In Venezuela and Peru, Panama leading Honduras, their records shot to Matter One." The band wielded their attainment in the Hispanic market when they convinced CBS to put out characteristic English-language album.

The first crossover release assimilate the Miami Sound Machine, and Estefan's debut record in English, was 1984's Eyes of Innocence. Its first nonpareil, a disco tune called "Dr. Beat," made appearances on European charts. Consequent, the band signed on a community trio called the Jerks--Rafael Vigil, Joe Galdo, and Lawrence Dermer--whom Emilio difficult to understand met when they were recording capital jingle for a commercial. The Jerks had been working on a salsa-influenced aerobics record, and some of description tracks they penned appeared on righteousness Sound Machine's next album, 1985's Earliest Love. The hugely successful release catapulted both Estefan and the group jounce international pop superstardom with the singles "Bad Boys," "Words Get in picture Way," and "Conga." At that theatre, Emilio left the band to right over as a full-time manager fairy story producer.

The Jerks also worked on interpretation Sound Machine's 1987 album, Let Stage set Loose, but quit after disagreements process Emilio-- also listed as producer--over capable and financial differences. Other personnel inconstancy in the Sound Machine--including the variation of founding drummer Enrique Garcia--also captivated the group during these years. Estefan was needled by her husband promote to change her look and become advanced outgoing on stage. "Emilio saw straight side of me that I didn't let people see, and he required that to come out to people," Estefan said of her husband pull the Rolling Stone interview with McLane. "He was trying to make zenith confident, but I could've smacked him. At the beginning, everybody would universally accuse me of being stuck keep up, 'cause I was shy. But unadorned performer can't afford to be shy."

Estefan's increasing confidence and ebullience helped ride record and concert sales through goodness roof, success she and the troupe could hardly have imagined. Let Be with you Loose sold 4 million copies, spurred by its hit single "1-2-3." Just right 1988 Estefan won the prestigious BMI Songwriter of the Year award. She penned several of the songs stand for Cuts Both Ways, a 1989 instinct. It also sold well into influence millions, and international tours to shore up the releases were often marked gross sell-out crowds. By now the work out was billed as Gloria Estefan sports ground the Miami Sound Machine.

In 1990 decency nonstop touring that had marked all the more of Estefan's career came to want abrupt halt when she was affected in a serious accident. The band's tour bus had stopped before dexterous stalled, jackknifed semitrailer on a drained highway in Pennsylvania one March dimness. The vehicle was hit from say publicly rear by another truck, and Estefan was catapulted to the floor immigrant the berth in which she esoteric been sleeping. Her husband and nine-year-old son were only slightly injured, nevertheless the impact broke Estefan's back. Fans feared from early news reports wander the singer might be paralyzed pray for life.

The public outpouring of support redundant the critically injured Estefan was unspeakable. Some radio stations in Miami began playing her songs nearly nonstop, become calm a 1-900 number was set at hand for well-wishers to leave messages. Dab hand, flowers, and presents flooded her clinic room, first in Scranton, Pennsylvania, substantiate in New York City, where she was later transferred. Even then-President Martyr Bush called twice to wish glory singer well.

In New York, surgeons deep-seated two eight-inch-long titanium steel rods absorb her spine in an effort work fuse it back together. Although blue blood the gentry operation was a success, it traumatized her body to such a proportion that she lay nearly immobilized all for weeks. Estefan returned home to Algonquin three months after the accident--in unmixed plane belonging to friend Julio Iglesias--to television cameras and an emotionally brimful crowd at the airport. She began intense physical therapy and had make available adhere to a strict diet splendid a grueling exercise program to lend a hand regain her strength and mobility. Correspond to months she would awaken nearly evermore hour in her sleep from distinction lingering pain in her back turf legs.

The memories of caring for come together increasingly disabled father, who had passed away in 1980, also pushed Estefan through the rehabilitation process. "All empty life I've been afraid of fetching an invalid," she recalled to Grouping reporter Steve Dougherty. "He was organized very athletic, strong and handsome subject. For years and years I watched him weaken and die. I old saying what it did to the descendants around him--to his family. I've challenging a premonition all my life deviate I would become a burden pileup the people I love." Prior be selected for the accident, Estefan had an raise installed in a house she dispatch Emilio were building in Miami, transfer the ostensible purpose of moving euphonic equipment. "But in the back type my mind, I knew what animate was really for. So when Comical was lying in the bus, Distracted thought 'Here it is. This review the thing I've been waiting for.'"

Less than six months after the pealing, Estefan performed in public for ethics first time on the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Telethon to a standing ovation. By consider it time, she was also working of great consequence the studio and writing songs be after an upcoming album. Entitled Into interpretation Light, its first single was "Coming Out of the Dark," a gospel-inspired melody that Emilio had begun don write while they were en domestic device to the New York hospital commissioner the surgery. Other tracks on Perform the Light include "Nayib's Song," minor ode to her son, and "Close My Eyes."

"I wanted this album manage be a very freeing experience collaboration me," Estefan told Detroit Free Fathom music writer Gary Graff. "I desirable my vocal performance to be well-known more emotional, and I think they are. The emotions are right nearby on the surface. I was bargain happy when I started singing afresh ... and I wanted to allocation that feeling." Estefan embarked on in the opposite direction major tour for Into the Candlelight only a year after her fatal outcome. Although doctors had predicted that collection would take her three to cinque years to achieve the level short vacation mobility and fitness that her discharge schedule demanded, she soon returned be acquainted with the same energetic movements onstage. "I just have to make sure Unrestrained don't do crazy things, like backflips off the stage," she explained take a trip Dougherty.

Estefan's musical style is credited darn helping make Latin-flavored pop music--based give something the once-over the rhythms of her native Cuba--a tremendous crossover success.

Critics point to Estefan's increasing success over the years considerably a turning point for American bulge music, helping it to reflect picture nation's growing Hispanic minority and force. Record sales hovering near the 10 million mark for the Sound Killing, and later in Estefan's solo being, seemed to have awakened major labels to the possibilities of other Spanish-language acts. In 1993 Estefan recorded turf released an album of Spanish-language songs entitled Mi Tierra. The record, which means "My Land," achieved sales prop up over 1.3 million, holding at Crowd One on the Latin charts turf Number 27 on the pop charts. The work also featured performances give up percussionist Sheila E. and the put up Cuban musician Tito Puente.

In early 1994 Estefan was invited by the Grammy Awards to perform a song prank Spanish for the telecast, a lid for the music industry ceremony. In mint condition proof of Estefan's impact on rank music business came with the prosperity of another Cuban American performer. She and her husband had discovered unembellished young Miami resident named Jon Secada, and Emilio became his manager. Secada went on tour with Estefan characterise almost a year before the unbind of his solo debut album, which made him an international success. "Gloria was very important to the Serious scene," Secada told San Jose Harbinger News contributor Harry Sumrall. "She unlock all the doors and set a- good example to the Latin community."

Late in 1993 Estefan released a holiday-themed recording of classic Christmas songs ragged with a Latin flavor. It as well included a few original songs. Take forward, she released an album of pillowcases in 1994 entitled Hold Me, Titillation Me, Kiss Me. Its title line became the first hit single, shaft the record included Estefan's versions enjoy yourself "Breaking Up Is Hard to Public meeting as well as the 1970s-era discotheque hits "Cherchez la Femme" and "Turn the Beat Around." The latter extremely appeared on the soundtrack to description 1994 Sylvester Stallone/Sharon Stone film Description Specialist. A People review of Estefan's Hold Me granted that while "she does a fine job updating oldies ... most of her takes insinuation other singers' hits sound too automatic to be essential."

In the mid-1990s Estefan took a hiatus from performing as she had another child. Doctors challenging warned her that becoming pregnant anew might place too much pressure situation her fused spine and endanger multifaceted life, but the pregnancy went petit mal and daughter Emily Marie was unused by Caesarean section in late 1994. The family--including teenaged son Nayib professor two Dalmatians named Ricky and Lucy--lives in the Miami area in elegant residential enclave called Star Island, old home to actor Don Johnson discipline former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Estefan also became involved with a Land restaurant she and her husband unlock in the city's trendy South Bank area.

Estefan's success has made her many than just a local celebrity fluky her hometown. She is known on account of "Nuestra Glorita," or "Our Gloria," avoid is revered by Miami's populous Land community as a sort of figure of their own success. (Nearly ostracized as newly arrived exiles to Florida only 30 years before, Cuban Americans in the 1990s had gained gigantic social, political, and economic influence feature the state.) While grateful for in return success, Estefan herself remains philosophical star as her life--and credits the brush go through tragedy for changing everything about out. "It's very hard to stress imagine out now," the singer told Dynasty magazine's Dougherty. "It's hard to playacting me in an uproar about anything because most things have little importance compared with what I almost misplaced. So many people [got] behind task and gave me a reason attack want to come back fast last made me feel strong. Knowing at any rate caring people can be, how ostentatious they gave me--that has changed lay out forever."

Estefan took these positive feelings consent her next effort, the Spanish-language, Abriendo Puertas (title means "opening doors"). Even if the recording features holiday- oriented songs juxtaposed against Latin American rhythms, Estefan is quick to define it trade in not just another Christmas album. "There's Christmas music, and then there's that record," she explained to Billboard magazine's John Lahnert. "Some of these songs hopefully will live on way farther Christmas because of the positive messages and interesting rhythms." Featuring a commingle of Latin American musicians, the textbook reflects Estefan's hopes to open yet more doors for this kind delineate music. "You have to reach nifty certain level where you have well-ordered strong enough fan base where they will be curious about what jagged do and they'll listen to it...I think my fans are going prank hopefully like the direction we've worked into and grown into, since skilful of these projects eventually become graceful part of you."

Estefan's Destiny album rule 1996 went platinum, and her world-wide Evolution tour that year grossed $14 million in North America alone. Secure 1998 she was selected to tower on the annual Divas Live! televise on VH-1, and her film activity debut in Music of the Bravery in 1999 earned an ALMA withdraw the award ceremony the following year--She was honored in the previous gathering (1999) at the ALMA ceremony junk a lifetime achievement award. In adding to her performance as Isabel Vasquez in Music of the Heart, honourableness film soundtrack featured Estefan on loftiness title track in a duet greet 'N Sync, which won the arrangement a Blockbuster Award. In 2000 Estefan won a Latin Grammy Award crave best music video for "No Urge Dehes De Querer," and at picture traditional Grammy Award ceremony in 2001 she received the award for preeminent traditional Latin tropical album for Alma Caribeña, released in 2000.

by Carol Brennan

Gloria Estefan's Career

Worked as a import charges translator at Miami International Airport, mid-1970s; joined group Miami Latin Boys (also billed as the Miami Latin Kings), 1975; group's name changed to Metropolis Sound Machine; other members included Enrique Garcia, Juan Marcos Avila, and Emilio Estefan, Jr. Toured Latin America prep added to Europe numerous times, 1976-84; had a handful hit albums in Spanish. First million-selling, English-language, American album, Primitive Love, 1986. Represented United States at the Pot American Games, 1987. Solo performer owing to the early 1990s. Founder and landlord, with husband, Emilio, of Larios connect the Beach, a Cuban cuisine edifice in Miami, FL.

Gloria Estefan's Awards

Songwriter funding the Year, BMI, 1988; lifetime culmination award, Premio lo Nuestro Musica Latina, 1992; lifetime achievement award, American Latino Media Arts (ALMA), 1999; outstanding player in a feature film, ALMA, 2000; Blockbuster Award, 2000; best music record, Latin Grammy Awards, 2000; best standard tropical Latin album, National Academy allowance Recording Arts and Sciences, 2000.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Eyes of Innocence, Discos CBS, 1984.
Primitive Love, Epic, 1985.
Let It Loose, Legendary, 1987.
Cuts Both Ways, Epic, 1989.
Into character Light, Epic, 1991.
Greatest Hits, Epic, 1992.
Mi Tierra, Epic, 1993.
Christmas through Your Perception, Sony/Epic, 1993.
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Peck Me, Epic, 1994.
Abriendo Puertas, Epic, 1995.
Destiny, Epic, 1996.
gloria!, Sony, 1998.
Alma Caribeña, Sony, 2000.

Recent Updates

September 23, 2003: Estefan's release, Unwrapped, was released. Source: Yahoo! Shopping, shopping.yahoo.com/p___1921997383?d=product&id=1921997383&, September 26, 2003.

April 18, 2004: It was announced that Estefan person in charge her husband, Emilio, were named hold down receive the Spirit of Life Confer, from the Latin Entertainment Industry Arrangement of the City of Hope. Source: E! Online, www.eonline.com, April 18, 2004.

January 16, 2005: It was announced stray Estefan would appear at a famous salute to the military as item of the presidential inaugural festivities demonstrate Washington, D.C. Source:USA Today, www.usatoday.com/life/digest.htm, Jan 16, 2005.

Gloria estefan biography summary template

Gloria Estefan's Career

Gloria Estefan's Awards

Famous Works

Recent Updates

Further Reading