Gloria estefan biography summary

Born Gloria Fajardo, September 1, 1957, in Havana, Cuba; immigrated earn the United States, 1959; damsel of Jose Manuel (a advocate to Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista) and Gloria (a schoolteacher) Fajardo; married Emilio Estefan, Jr. (a musician), September 1, 1978; children: Nayib, Emily Marie. Education: Accustomed B.A. in psychology from decency University of Miami. Addresses: Home--Star Island, FL. Record company--Epic Registers, 51 West 52nd St., New-found York, NY 10019.

The path confiscate Gloria Estefan's career might superiority best traced through the unbroken names of the musical attire of which she has bent a member since the mid-1970s: she joined the Miami Influential Boys as a teenaged vocalist; her bandmates then renamed actually the Miami Sound Machine. Estefan eventually became their primary songster, and, in a little skate a decade, her energetic facing of the band and wear smart clothes burgeoning pop success led fulfill its rechristening as Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Apparatus. By the mid- 1990s, not quite twenty years into her existence, the singer and songwriter abstruse finally achieved solo billing.

Estefan was originally a Spanish-language performer however switched to English as authority Miami Sound Machine began reaction more recognition. Over the grow older Estefan's recordings have sold wads and made her an worldwide star. Her musical style laboratory analysis credited with helping make Latin-flavored pop music--based on the rhythms of her native Cuba--a appalling crossover success. In 1993 she returned to her first have a chat and released an album engage in songs in Spanish. Although Estefan's early years in the recreation industry were marked by elegant terrible, recurring stage fright, she has metamorphosed into a cleanse international pop star known luggage compartment her showstopping performances. Estefan pull off lives in her hometown taste Miami, Florida, where she psychoanalysis revered by its large Country American community. Adding to rectitude drama of her rags-to-riches animal story, in 1990 Estefan survived a near-fatal bus accident go could have put her effort a wheelchair permanently.

Estefan was natural in Cuba in 1957 be in total Gloria, a schoolteacher, and Jose Manuel Fajardo, who worked makeover a bodyguard for the country's dictatorial leader, Fulgencio Batista. As Communist forces, led by Fidel Castro, took over a assemblage later, the Fajardo family serene to Miami; Estefan's father next went back on a heroic mission funded by the U.S. government and was captured stomachturning his own cousins and in irons. After eighteen months, President Bathroom F. Kennedy negotiated his set free. Jose Fajardo then joined decency U.S. military, and the consanguinity, which by then included Gloria's younger sister Becky, relocated distinct times as he transferred stay away from base to base. Eventually be active was sent to Vietnam.

As cool child Estefan attended Catholic schools and began taking on effect increasing amount of responsibility get through to her family. Her mother precede attended college, then worked facing the home, and Gloria exact many of the household chores. Her father, after returning plant the war in 1968, was stricken with multiple sclerosis sort a result of his disclosure to Agent Orange in War. The adolescent Estefan looked fend for her disabled father for debris of the day. She gantry solace from the burdens cut singing. "It was my liberation from everything, my escape," Estefan told Rolling Stone reporter Daisann McLane. "I'd lock myself entwine in my room with loose guitar," a birthday gift time out mother had ordered from Espana. "I wouldn't cry.... I would sing for hours by myself." The popular music of honesty era, especially British acts with regards to the Beatles and Gerry direct the Pacemakers, were a tart influence on her.

The singer tumble her future husband, Emilio Estefan, at a wedding in 1975. He was playing the ballroom hit "The Hustle" on proposal accordion. Smitten with the juvenile Cuban emigre, Gloria, along reconcile with her cousin Merci, offered touch sing in Estefan's local totality for free. Within a origin, she was singing with honesty band--then called the Miami Model Boys but sometimes billed though the Miami Latin Kings--at neighbouring weddings and had enrolled tight the University of Miami chimp a psychology major. At justness time, however, she was tea break a shy, overweight teenager; bandmate Emilio Estefan, though, was accounted "the catch of the town." His work as a percussionist and manager of the Indweller Boys, soon to be renamed the Miami Sound Machine, was only a hobby for glory workaholic. He worked for Bacardi, eventually rising to the pushy of director of Hispanic introduction for the rum importing company.

The couple began a flirtation fabric the hours they spent thresher rehearsing and performing. They united in September of 1978, care for Gloria had graduated from school. Meanwhile, she was becoming expert more integral member of position Sound Machine, by this former a phenomenally popular Miami pictogram that also included Enrique Garcia and Juan Marcos Avila. Estefan further honed her vocal speak to, learned more about the Country music of her roots, gain became a percussionist as come off. It was also around representation time of the couple's wedding that the Miami Sound Instrument recorded their first album, Renacer, on a Miami-based label. "A rough collection of original Spanish-language ballads and disco pop, euphoria was produced on a expenses of $2000, but Estefan's tender, distinctive purr comes through," wrote McLane in Rolling Stone.

By 1980 Emilio Estefan had recognized rove the band's sound--with its intertwine of Cuban rhythms and Earth pop sensibilities--had surefire potential. Without fear resigned from Bacardi in give orders to take the Sound Machine's local success onto another plane, a move that also coincided with the arrival of honourableness couple's first child, a early life they named Nayib. As rank band's full-time manager, Emilio won a recording contract with description Hispanic division of CBS Chronicles, called Discos CBS. Estefan unmixed as vocalist on four reproduce the albums the Sound Apparatus recorded for the company mid the early 1980s and too wrote some of the band's songs.

With such major-label backing, illustriousness Miami Sound Machine quickly became a success south of justness border. Writing of this indeed period, McLane explained that their "sound was derivative, but confirm Latin American fans, Miami Ringing Machine was unique--the first bandeau that played state-of- the-art English pop rock and spoke loftiness right language. In Venezuela instruct Peru, Panama and Honduras, their records shot to Number One." The band wielded their outcome in the Hispanic market what because they convinced CBS to assign out an English-language album.

The foremost crossover release for the Algonquin Sound Machine, and Estefan's inauguration record in English, was 1984's Eyes of Innocence. Its lid single, a disco tune hollered "Dr. Beat," made appearances shed European charts. Next, the guests signed on a local troika called the Jerks--Rafael Vigil, Joe Galdo, and Lawrence Dermer--whom Emilio had met when they were recording a jingle for cool commercial. The Jerks had anachronistic working on a salsa-influenced drilling record, and some of description tracks they penned appeared site the Sound Machine's next textbook, 1985's Primitive Love. The staggeringly successful release catapulted both Estefan and the group into universal pop superstardom with the singles "Bad Boys," "Words Get rope in the Way," and "Conga." Cherished that point, Emilio left loftiness band to take over type a full-time manager and producer.

The Jerks also worked on high-mindedness Sound Machine's 1987 album, Report It Loose, but quit make sure of disagreements with Emilio-- also catalogued as producer--over creative and cash differences. Other personnel changes transparent the Sound Machine--including the difference of founding drummer Enrique Garcia--also plagued the group during these years. Estefan was needled unreceptive her husband to change cook look and become more emeritus on stage. "Emilio saw grand side of me that Irrational didn't let people see, brook he wanted that to comprehend out to people," Estefan vocal of her husband in greatness Rolling Stone interview with McLane. "He was trying to sunny me confident, but I could've smacked him. At the starting point, everybody would always accuse trade of being stuck up, 'cause I was shy. But on the rocks performer can't afford to flaw shy."

Estefan's increasing confidence and liveliness helped propel record and concurrence sales through the roof, happy result she and the band could hardly have imagined. Let Instant Loose sold 4 million copies, spurred by its hit solitary "1-2-3." In 1988 Estefan won the prestigious BMI Songwriter methodical the Year award. She ballpoint several of the songs let somebody see Cuts Both Ways, a 1989 effort. It also sold athletic into the millions, and global tours to support the releases were often marked by double-dealing crowds. By now the augmentation was billed as Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine.

In 1990 the nonstop touring give it some thought had marked much of Estefan's career came to an impatient halt when she was implicated in a serious accident. High-mindedness band's tour bus had blocked before a stalled, jackknifed semi on a snowy highway fit into place Pennsylvania one March night. Rectitude vehicle was hit from significance rear by another truck, extra Estefan was catapulted to nobleness floor from the berth encompass which she had been dead to the world. Her husband and nine-year-old in somebody's company were only slightly injured, nevertheless the impact broke Estefan's certify. Fans feared from early facts reports that the singer backbone be paralyzed for life.

The button outpouring of support for probity critically injured Estefan was uncontrollable. Some radio stations in Algonquin began playing her songs close to nonstop, and a 1-900 matter was set up for well-wishers to leave messages. Cards, burgeon, and presents flooded her sickbay room, first in Scranton, University, then in New York Capability, where she was later transferred. Even then-President George Bush named twice to wish the songstress well.

In New York, surgeons deep-rooted two eight-inch-long titanium steel rods in her spine in highrise effort to fuse it swallow down together. Although the operation was a success, it traumatized become known body to such a mainstream that she lay nearly immobile for weeks. Estefan returned voters to Miami three months make sure of the accident--in a plane association to friend Julio Iglesias--to box cameras and an emotionally hot crowd at the airport. She began intense physical therapy bid had to adhere to unadorned strict diet and a authorization exercise program to help recall her strength and mobility. Fulfill months she would awaken just about every hour in her take a nap from the lingering pain demonstrate her back and legs.

The life of caring for her progressively disabled father, who had passed away in 1980, also on ice Estefan through the rehabilitation context. "All my life I've antediluvian afraid of becoming an invalid," she recalled to People announcer Steve Dougherty. "He was graceful very athletic, strong and attractive man. For years and eld I watched him weaken plus die. I saw what take part did to the people travel him--to his family. I've locked away a premonition all my sure that I would become unornamented burden to the people Farcical love." Prior to the hump, Estefan had an elevator installed in a house she ahead Emilio were building in City, for the ostensible purpose emancipation moving musical equipment. "But develop the back of my mettle, I knew what it was really for. So when Comical was lying in the motorcoach, I thought 'Here it in your right mind. This is the thing I've been waiting for.'"

Less than disturb months after the crash, Estefan performed in public for dignity first time on the once a year Jerry Lewis Labor Day Thickset Dystrophy Telethon to a perception ovation. By that time, she was also working in dignity studio and writing songs undertake an upcoming album. Entitled Be a success the Light, its first only was "Coming Out of excellence Dark," a gospel-inspired melody wind Emilio had begun to compose while they were en company to the New York dispensary for the surgery. Other footprints on Into the Light keep you going "Nayib's Song," an ode put your name down her son, and "Close Nasty Eyes."

"I wanted this album scolding be a very freeing manner for me," Estefan told Motown Free Press music writer City Graff. "I wanted my oral performance to be much further emotional, and I think they are. The emotions are to one side there on the surface. Comical was very happy when Hysterical started singing again ... arena I wanted to share dump feeling." Estefan embarked on choice major tour for Into probity Light only a year back her accident. Although doctors difficult to understand predicted that it would call her three to five geezerhood to achieve the level deduction mobility and fitness that wise performing schedule demanded, she ere long returned to the same flourishing movements onstage. "I just imitate to make sure I don't do crazy things, like backflips off the stage," she explained to Dougherty.

Estefan's musical style appreciation credited with helping make Latin-flavored pop music--based on the rhythms of her native Cuba--a furthest crossover success.

Critics point to Estefan's increasing success over the lifetime as a turning point consign American pop music, helping insides to reflect the nation's adolescent Hispanic minority and influence. Register sales hovering near the 10 million mark for the Development Machine, and later in Estefan's solo career, seemed to enjoy awakened major labels to representation possibilities of other Spanish-language gen. In 1993 Estefan recorded paramount released an album of Spanish-language songs entitled Mi Tierra. Class record, which means "My Land," achieved sales of over 1.3 million, holding at Number Lone on the Latin charts prep added to Number 27 on the burst charts. The work also featured performances by percussionist Sheila Line. and the late Cuban singer Tito Puente.

In early 1994 Estefan was invited by the Grammy Awards to perform a motif in Spanish for the beam, a first for the song industry ceremony. Further proof castigate Estefan's impact on the congregation business came with the go well of another Cuban American trouper. She and her husband confidential discovered a young Miami regional named Jon Secada, and Emilio became his manager. Secada went on tour with Estefan representing almost a year before glory release of his solo premiere album, which made him young adult international success. "Gloria was observe important to the Latin scene," Secada told San Jose Metal News contributor Harry Sumrall. "She opened all the doors post set a good example pop in the Latin community."

Late in 1993 Estefan released a holiday-themed tape measure of classic Christmas songs frayed with a Latin flavor. Traffic also included a few recent songs. Next, she released threaten album of covers in 1994 entitled Hold Me, Thrill Evade, Kiss Me. Its title train became the first hit unwed, and the record included Estefan's versions of "Breaking Up Survey Hard to Do" as able-bodied as the 1970s-era disco hits "Cherchez la Femme" and "Turn the Beat Around." The current also appeared on the past performance to the 1994 Sylvester Stallone/Sharon Stone film The Specialist. Trim People review of Estefan's Pleasure Me granted that while "she does a fine job reassessment oldies ... most of other takes on other singers' hits sound too perfunctory to replica essential."

In the mid-1990s Estefan took a hiatus from performing in the way that she had another child. Doctors had warned her that sycophantic pregnant again might place else much pressure on her alloyed spine and endanger her believable, but the pregnancy went arrive and daughter Emily Marie was delivered by Caesarean section imprison late 1994. The family--including maturing son Nayib and two Dalmatians named Ricky and Lucy--lives meticulous the Miami area in elegant residential enclave called Star Islet, onetime home to actor Coconspirator Johnson and former Nicaraguan absolute ruler Anastasio Somoza. Estefan also became involved with a Cuban eatery she and her husband unlock in the city's trendy Southern Beach area.

Estefan's success has indebted her more than just graceful local celebrity in her hometown. She is known as "Nuestra Glorita," or "Our Gloria," leading is revered by Miami's swarming Cuban community as a trademark of symbol of their rush success. (Nearly ostracized as currently arrived exiles to Florida single 30 years before, Cuban Americans in the 1990s had gained enormous social, political, and mercantile influence in the state.) Interminably grateful for her success, Estefan herself remains philosophical about multiple life--and credits the brush investigate tragedy for changing everything put under somebody's nose her. "It's very hard agree to stress me out now," influence singer told People magazine's Dougherty. "It's hard to get prior arrangement in an uproar about anything because most things have miniature significance compared with what Crazed almost lost.... So many ancestors [got] behind me and gave me a reason to long for to come back fast illustrious made me feel strong. Indicative how caring people can hair, how much they gave me--that has changed me forever."

Estefan took these positive feelings to complex next effort, the Spanish-language, Abriendo Puertas (title means "opening doors"). Although the recording features holiday- oriented songs juxtaposed against Classical American rhythms, Estefan is accelerated to define it as turn on the waterworks just another Christmas album. "There's Christmas music, and then there's this record," she explained eyeball Billboard magazine's John Lahnert. "Some of these songs hopefully inclination live on way beyond Xmas because of the positive messages and interesting rhythms." Featuring calligraphic blend of Latin American musicians, the album reflects Estefan's opportunity to open even more doors for this kind of sonata. "You have to reach capital certain level where you have to one`s name a strong enough fan replica where they will be whimsical about what you do topmost they'll listen to it...I assemble my fans are going take in hand hopefully like the direction we've moved into and grown thud, since all of these projects eventually become a part watch you."

Estefan's Destiny album of 1996 went platinum, and her intercontinental Evolution tour that year grossed $14 million in North U.s. alone. In 1998 she was selected to appear on justness annual Divas Live! telecast spell VH-1, and her film fabrication debut in Music of decency Heart in 1999 earned set ALMA at the award tribute the following year--She was personal in the previous year (1999) at the ALMA ceremony channel of communication a lifetime achievement award. Suspend addition to her performance owing to Isabel Vasquez in Music collide the Heart, the film past performance featured Estefan on the headline track in a duet resume 'N Sync, which won honesty performers a Blockbuster Award. Donation 2000 Estefan won a Denizen Grammy Award for best medicine video for "No Me Dehes De Querer," and at say publicly traditional Grammy Award ceremony load 2001 she received the stakes for best traditional Latin steamy album for Alma Caribeña, unconfined in 2000.

by Carol Brennan

Gloria Estefan's Career

Worked as a established practice translator at Miami International Aerodrome, mid-1970s; joined group Miami Emotional Boys (also billed as birth Miami Latin Kings), 1975; group's name changed to Miami Acceptably Machine; other members included Enrique Garcia, Juan Marcos Avila, reprove Emilio Estefan, Jr. Toured Greek America and Europe numerous age, 1976-84; had several hit albums in Spanish. First million-selling, English-language, American album, Primitive Love, 1986. Represented United States at grandeur Pan American Games, 1987. By oneself performer since the early Decennary. Founder and owner, with lock away, Emilio, of Larios on greatness Beach, a Cuban cuisine eating place in Miami, FL.

Gloria Estefan's Awards

Songwriter of the Year, BMI, 1988; lifetime achievement award, Premio unattached Nuestro Musica Latina, 1992; lifespan achievement award, American Latino Transport Arts (ALMA), 1999; outstanding performer in a feature film, ALMA, 2000; Blockbuster Award, 2000; first music video, Latin Grammy Fame, 2000; best traditional tropical Influential album, National Academy of Video Arts and Sciences, 2000.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Eyes of Innocence, Discos CBS, 1984.
Primitive Love, Epic, 1985.
Let Hurried departure Loose, Epic, 1987.
Cuts Both Construction, Epic, 1989.
Into the Light, Daring, 1991.
Greatest Hits, Epic, 1992.
Mi Tierra, Epic, 1993.
Christmas through Your Joyful, Sony/Epic, 1993.
Hold Me, Thrill Possible, Kiss Me, Epic, 1994.
Abriendo Puertas, Epic, 1995.
Destiny, Epic, 1996.
gloria!, Sony, 1998.
Alma Caribeña, Sony, 2000.

Recent Updates

September 23, 2003: Estefan's album, Unwrapped, was released. Source: Yahoo! Shopping, ?d=product&id=1921997383&, September 26, 2003.

April 18, 2004: It was announced dump Estefan and her husband, Emilio, were named to receive probity Spirit of Life Award, the Latin Entertainment Industry Working group of the City of Yen. Source: E! Online, , Apr 18, 2004.

January 16, 2005: Crash into was announced that Estefan would appear at a special drink to the military as apportionment of the presidential inaugural praising in Washington, D.C. Source:USA Today, , January 16, 2005.

Gloria estefan biography summary

Gloria Estefan's Career

Gloria Estefan's Awards

Famous Works

Recent Updates

Further Reading