Ayla Stoecklin February 28, 2011
World Music Paper 4 A, C
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan or better known as Gloria
Estefan is a Cuban American singer, songwriter, and actress. Gloria Estefan is known as
the “Queen of Latin Pop,” she is in the top 100 best selling music artists, and has won 7
Grammy Awards.
As a child Gloria liked to write poetry, she never thought that writing poetry or
learning to play the guitar would led to a life as a singer. When her father was sick she
would sing to let out her feelings instead of crying over it. Gloria saw singing as an
outlet for all f her emotions and would always sing whatever she was feeling.
Gloria met Emilio Estefan in 1975 when he was the band leader of Miami Latin
Boys. Gloria met Estefan at a wedding where he heard her sing for the first time. Emilio
had asked Gloria to be there front singer because they didn’t have one. A year and a half
later after she had joined the band fully after she graduated college at the University of
Miami, after Gloria joined they re-named the band Miami Sound Machine.
Gloria and the Miami Sound Machine recorded there first album with Renacer in
1977. There first album was “Live Again Renacer,” Renacer featured disco pop music
and ballads sung in Spanish.
The band consisted of Marcos Avila on bass, Kiki Garcia on drums, Raul
Murciano on keyboard and saxophone, Emilio on keyboard, and Gloria as the lead singer.
They signed there first official contract with Discos CBS International in 1980.
Between 1981-1983 the Miami Sound Machine recorded 4 Spanish albums made
up of ballads, disco, pop, and sambas. The Miami Sound Machine had there first and
most success in Spanish speaking countries like Venezuela, Peru, Panama, and Honduras.
There first hit album in north America was “Innocence.”
I don’t think that just Cuban music should be taught in classrooms but all kinds of
music and all styles should be taught because more cultures should be brought into the
classroom. Music isn’t something always taught in school because there is so much else
going on so more music and culture classes should be brought in because culture is
everywhere.
Gloria Estefan brought something different with her music. She brought culture
by singing in Spanish. Not many people before she started singing had heard Spanish
music. Gloria is still singing, but not with her band anymore just by herself.