Gloria Estefan

Cuban-American singer (born 1957)

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
Estefan in December 2017
Background information
Birth nameGloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García
Born (1957-09-01) September 1, 1957 (age 67)
Havana, Cuba
OriginMiami, Florida, United States
GenresLatin pop, dance-pop, pop, dance, EDM
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, actress, hotelier, restauranteur, writer
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, percussion
Years active1977–present
LabelsEpic (1977–2006)
Burgundy (2007–2010)
Crescent Moon / Verve Forecast (2011–present)
Websitegloriaestefan.com

Early life

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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

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Albums discography

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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

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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

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  • 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
  • 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)

References

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  1. "Gloria Estefan - Latin Pop Superstar". Latinmusic.about.com. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  2. "Gloria Estefan - Queen of Latin Pop". Wow! Miami. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  3. "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.
  4. "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
  5. "Gloria Estefan Biography on Family Roots (Spanish)". Lne.es. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  6. "Gloria Estefan Interview.(Spanish)" (in Spanish). Ar-revista.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  7. "Gloria Estefan: 'I'm Not Affiliated' With Republicans or Democrats". CNS News. June 14, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  8. G-Force review. "GLORIA ESTEFAN MÉXICO" Archived July 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Gloria Estefan Mexico web site (in Spanish)