Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan, known mostly as Gloria Estefan (born September 1, 1957) is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. She is known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop".[1][2][3] Estefan has won multiple Grammy Awards. The singer was a member of Miami Sound Machine in the 1980s. She is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide.[4] Currently, she is the most successful crossover performer in Latin music.
Gloria Estefan | |
|---|---|
 Estefan in December 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García |
| Born | September 1, 1957 Havana, Cuba |
| Origin | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Genres | Latin pop, dance-pop, pop, dance, EDM |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, actress, hotelier, restauranteur, writer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, percussion |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Epic (1977–2006) Burgundy (2007–2010) Crescent Moon / Verve Forecast (2011–present) |
| Associated acts | Emilio Estefan Miami Sound Machine Jon Secada Celia Cruz Lili Estefan |
| Website | gloriaestefan |
Early life
She was born Gloria Fajardo on September 1, 1957, in Havana, Cuba. As a toddler, Estefan fled Cuba with her family when Communist dictator Fidel Castro rose to power. Her father, Jose Manuel Fajardo, had been a Cuban soldier and bodyguard of former President Fulgencio Batista. Her maternal grandfather, Leonardo García, immigrated to Cuba from Pola de Siero, Asturias, Spain. He married Gloria's maternal grandmother in Pola de Siero, Asturias, Spain. Her maternal grandmother is originally from Logroño, Spain.[5][6]
After coming to the United States, Fajardo was recruited into the 2506 Brigade, a Central Intelligence Agency-funded band of Cuban refugees that was involved in the unsuccessful 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion. After President John F. Kennedy negotiated the release of the captured soldiers, Fajardo rejoined his family. He eventually joined the U.S. Army and served for two years in Vietnam.
As a child Estefan liked to write poetry, and though she took classical guitar lessons, she found them tedious. She had no idea that she would some day become a popular music star, but music played a very important role for her as a teenager.
After her father's return from Vietnam, he was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, possibly as a result of having been exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange while serving in the army. Estefan's mother, who had been a teacher in Cuba, worked to support the family during the day and attended school at night. Young Gloria was left to take care of her father and younger sister. She had little social life, and because she felt the weight of such responsibilities she turned to music as a release.
"When my father was ill, music was my escape," Estefan told Washington Post reporter Richard Harrington. "I would lock myself up in my room for hours and just sing. I wouldn't cry—I refused to cry...Music was the only way I had to just let go, so I sang for fun and for emotional catharsis."
Estefan said in an interview, that she is not affiliated with any political party.[7]
Discography
Albums discography
Studio albums
| Release date | Title |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Eyes of Innocence |
| 1985 | Primitive Love |
| 1987 | Let It Loose / Anything for You |
| 1989 | Cuts Both Ways |
| 1991 | Into The Light |
| 1993 | Mi Tierra |
| 1994 | Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me |
| 1995 | Abriendo Puertas |
| 1996 | Destiny |
| 1998 | gloria! |
| 2000 | Alma Caribeña |
| 2003 | Unwrapped |
| 2007 | 90 Millas |
| 2011 | Miss Little Havana |
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Music of the Heart | Isabel Vazquez | Debut acting performance |
| 2000 | Little Angelita | Voice Narrator | Animated Short Film |
| For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story | Emilia | Television film | |
| 2003 | Famous: The Making of Unwrapped | Herself | Album documentary |
| 2007 | 90 Millas Documentary | Herself | Album documentary |
| 2008 | Marley & Me | Herself | Cameo appearance |
| 2009 | G-Force | Juárez | Voice in the Latin-American version of the film[8] |
| 2010 | Recording: The History Of Recorded Music | Herself | Documentary |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | Club Med | - | One episode |
| 1989 | Postcard From Miami with Clive James | Herself | One episode |
| 1993 | The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna | Herself | |
| 2000 | Frasier | Maria | One episode: "Something About Dr. Mary" |
| 2005 | A Capitol Fourth | Herself | |
| 2009 | Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List | Herself | One episode: "Rosie and Gloria and Griffin... Oh My!" |
| 2010 | The Marriage Ref | Herself | One episode |
| 2011 | The X Factor | Herself | Cameo Miami Auditions |
| 2012 | Glee | Mrs. Maribel Lopez | Episode: "Goodbye" |
Videography
- Video Exitos (1986) L.D.L Enterprises
- Homecoming Concert (1989) CMV
- Evolution (1990) CMV
- Coming Out Of The Dark (1991) SMV
- Into The Light World Tour (1992) SMV
- Everlasting Gloria! (1995) EMV
- The Evolution Tour Live In Miami (1996) EMV
- Don't Stop (1998) EMV
- Que siga la tradición (2001) EMV
- Live In Atlantis (2002) EMV
- Famous (2003) (Video journal about making-of Unwrapped LP; included in CD package)
- Live & Unwrapped (2004) EMV
Books
- The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog (2005) ISBN 0-06-082623-1.
- Noelle's Treasure Tale: A New Magically Mysterious Adventure (2006)
- Estefan's Kitchen (2008)
Gloria Estefan Media
Gloria Estefan at a rehearsal for the Grammy Awards (cropped)917
060915-N-6266K-001 Norfolk, Virginia. (14 September 2006) - Grammy-winning recording artist Gloria Estefan performs for the crew and their families during a special event to celebrate the United Through Reading program aboard the
Gloria Estefan receiving flowers for her birthday at her show in the Ahoy venue, Rotterdam.
Estefan at the White House in 2009
Photo by Dan&Corina Lecca
The Cardozo hotel on Ocean Drive, in Miami Beach, Florida
Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the 2014 Miami International Film Festival
References
- ↑ "Gloria Estefan - Latin Pop Superstar". Latinmusic.about.com. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ↑ "Gloria Estefan - Queen of Latin Pop". Wow! Miami. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ↑ "everlastinggloriaestefan : Gloria Estefan: The Queen of Latin / Pop". Launch.groups.yahoo.com. August 20, 2000. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ↑ "Celebrity Counsel For Miami GuitarTown Gloria Estefan Autographs Gibson Les Paul Sculpture 'Gateway to the Americas'" Archived March 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Miami GuitarTown, Gibson Guitar Corporation, March 17, 2009
- ↑ "Gloria Estefan Biography on Family Roots (Spanish)". Lne.es. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
- ↑ "Gloria Estefan Interview.(Spanish)" (in español). Ar-revista.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
- ↑ "Gloria Estefan: 'I'm Not Affiliated' With Republicans or Democrats". CNS News. June 14, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ↑ G-Force review. "GLORIA ESTEFAN MÉXICO" Archived July 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Gloria Estefan Mexico web site (in Spanish)