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The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You
Oh a oh a, oh a oh a ah.....
At night, when you turn off all the lights
There's no place that you can hide
No no, the rhythm is gonna get you
In bed, throw the covers on your head
You pretend like you are dead
But I know it, the rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
The rhythm is gonna get you tonight
No way, you can fight it every day
But no matter what you say
You know it, the rhythm is gonna get you
No clue of what's happening to you
But before this night is through
Ooh baby, the rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
The rhythm is gonna get you tonight
Oh a oh a, oh a oh a ah......
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
The rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Rhythm is gonna get you
Na na na na.... The rhythm is gonna get you Na na na na.... Oh a oh a, oh a oh a ah...... The rhythm is gonna get
YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED
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WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...
- Ya gotta love Robert Palmer. 'Was a very talented man. I really enjoy some of his music. Thanks Larry.
Barry H. 2/18/11- Love the voice of Teddy Pendergrass! Becky T. 2/4/11
- I love the Philly soul sound of Blue Magic! Keep 'em coming, Larry.
BB 1/28/11- Amy Pritchett & Avery Dylan. Two stories long overdue. As these two rise up in the Athens Music scene, they want their voices heard. The Obama Blues does just that. If you ever get the chance to see these two in concert...from experience,you won't be disappointed. JWP 1/7/11
- Sweet! What a GREAT song! Keep the hits comin' Mr. Freeman! You're the BEST! Amy P. 10/15/10
- Wow! Who turned on the time machine. Many great nights at Frog Pond, Terry's, Old College, the Sigma Chi house or wherever Dirk & Tony were playing. Good fun, Great music!! Still love seeing Dirk around A town. Fred L. 8/5/10
- Nice! Amy P. 8/5/10
- Just discovered this site! What an enjoyable trip down the musical memory lane. Thanks, D. Buck
3/26/10- Wow, what a great "blast from the past" to hear "Lost Between Two Worlds"! Saw Tony here in Columbia TN last summer and Dirk will always be a brother to me!
Peggy J. 2/13/10- Love this web site! B. Free turned me on to it and now I can't wait to log in on Friday morning!
M. Small 11/06/09- Congratulations for all for work! I love the music of Dione Warwick ... A hug. Later. Felipe C. 10/21/09
- Just found out about your web-site, it's wonderful! I'll be watching for my friday e-mails, thanks Freddy Seagraves (The Jesters Band) 9/22/09
- Just found this website - WOW!! AJ 8/08/09
- Great song! "Wildflower" Brings back a flood of memories!! Thanks for all the time you put into this fun site!
7/23/09- I remember listening to Skylark on a Mini Radio walking to Burney Harris Middle School from Normal Town
8th grade !!! R.Free 7/17/09- "Three Dog Night was my first "rock" concert at the Coliseum at UGA when I was in 7th grade! I wonder if the lead singer can still fit into that tight white fringed jacket?" L.N. 7/3/09
- First date with my wife, Three Dog Night, Omni in Atlanta, July 29, 1973....seems like yesterday.
Thanks Larry! C.A. 7/3/09- Hey Larry. Love Robert Palmer and I Loooove that smooth sound. How about some Lionel Richie.
Thanks. Mom. 6/26/09- Randy and Tina Raburn turned me
on to this (Robert Palmer) and Ilove it. Out in Oregon.Thanks. V.T. 6/26/09- LOVE the stories behind the performers and their songs.
Robbie 5/24/09- Ain"t heard that one "Brother Louie" in a while. hoss858 5/24/09
- You (Dirk and Tony) are one of my fondest memories of UGA!!!!! My best friend and I STILL sing, "Silly Little Girl" when we are on road trips together! Deb Mc. 6/23/09
- Larry, thanks for turning me on to this album (Yesterday & Today - The Beatles) way back in 19XX! It's remained one of my favorite Beatles albums of all time.
Dennis M. 6/19/09- Thanks for the lyrics to Louie Louie. I've always thought that they were the Kingsmen's lyrics recorded under the influence of Jack Daniel. Now we know it was rum. A great tune. I've never heard anybody say that they didn't like it. rjenkins 5/29/09
- Love the site! Sheree 5/8/09
- Have never seen a female lead singer play the guitar like that--Go Larry,thanks for your efforts to entertain your classmates! tbirdamf 5/8/09
- OMG, I didn't recognize this one (39-21-40 Shape) till it started playing! Love it.
Dale 4/19/09- Larry, I just had to get up and move with (Shake A Tail Feather) that one! Keep it up!
Jeff 4/3/09- That really was a blast from the past! The last time I saw Dirk and Tony perform was at Jon Tuck’s graduation party in the mid seventies. What a party! Love the photo. And we all thought we looked so cute back then – foolish folks! Thanks for the memory. Leslie P. 3/20/09
- I have the songs on my Ipod now in the car...............cruisin' in the afternoon just got better!
L.D. 3/20/09 - Great site!! I really appreciate Dirk and Tony spotlight.They've entertained multitudes when they worked together and still are today on their own.
R. Jenkins 3/20/09- Thank you, thank you, Larry! I always enjoy the music you select but this (Dirk and Tony) is the best yet!! Talk about memories!
Melody P. 3/20/09- "Oh yeah - played this many times today. I sent it on to a few folks who are not on the list. The pictures almost made me sad - too much time has flown by. Loved hearing the song again. So glad you were able to get it on there. I think I played it 3 times at least." Betsy K. 3/20/09
- Dirk, Looking GOOD my brutha!! I love the earlier pics of you and Tony. I hope to get to Athens again one of these days, soon, and hear you sing. You are a treasure! Bobby D.
3/20/09- Awesome!! Debbie G. 3/20/09
- Loved hearing this song again!!! When will y'all be playing together again? Gilbert M. 3/20/09
- Good morning & Happy first day of Spring!!!! What a great way to start my morning, Dirk and Tony!
Patti W. 3/20/09- You did a wonderful job on this week!!!! Dirk and Tony takes ya back a long way to some good times!!!
Thanks, Rhonda T. 3/20/09- Tina R. shared this and it was great fun. Thanks from Oregon. 03/13/09
- Great to see you bashing the drums in the group video that your mum sent, we spotted her dancing. Also enjoyed the music played by the group. Uncle Jack & Aunt Carole in the U.K. 02/19/09
- Thanks bsh69r, I missed that. Two heads or more are better than one.
02/17/09 friday@fridayinathens.com- Correction: The song that's played here was done by Scott McKenzie and is called "San Francisco". The MP3 is mistitled. Aside from that, I love your site...absolutely a great site and will keep revisiting it. :-) bsh69r 02/16/09
- Really enjoying the site. Love the featured act (The Zombies) and their music. Great work you do.
A service. Barry H. 02/06/09
- This ("Ain't That Peculiar") used to be the song back then! Heidi R. 01/29/09
- One of my all time favorite groups "The Intruders", doing one of their best! I play this one on my home system at least once a week. Your buddy, Dirk H. 12/05/08
- You’ve created something wonderful with your Friday website. Something positive to look forward to each week. Can’t wait to see what’s on the plate for this week. Leslie P. 11/17/08
- Thanks for the wonderful music I enjoy it... Great site Connie 9/11/08
- Larry, Live for "Fridays"....I even get up and put on my tornado red shoes and tap along to the songs!!!
A.P. 7/11/2008- Growing up as an "old school" listener, I love this kind of music. Thanks so much for putting real music on so we all can hear what it was like back then. This music is NOT DEAD, it's still alive; and people like "us", the listeners keep it alive!
Babedoll 7/9/2008- This "Private Number" was always a great song. Too bad they did not have more hits. I loved this song. Harper 7/9/2008
- Don and Juan were one of the great Doo-Wop singing Duo's out there. Love 'em! "All That's Missing Is You" is one of their rarest records! Northern Soul! Brian Y. 7/2/2008
- Larry; What would Friday's be without you and Friday is Always coming in Athens? Jimmy J 6/30/2008
- Thank you for this site, I'm french and
I have 40 years. I am a collector of vinyl and American music oldies, soul, funk. Il are very few in my french cas.Je this site is fantastic because I found some artist American and that I discovered the other, bravo and keep this site. 5/20/2008- Hey! I haven't heard this song since I was visiting LLC in the summer of 1972. I was crazy about her... wow! Thanks for sharing this song with the public! MSH 5/19/2008
- The words to this song (Expressway to Your Heart) are quite interesting. Larry keep the tunes coming.
TC jJ 5/19/2008- First timer for me. I love your terrific format and exciting info. I feel like I'm back in Athens. ES 5/14/2008
- IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS----THIS IS THE BEST!!!! Unknown 5/9/2008
- I love it. I am learning about all of these singers and I'm only
16 years old. Unknown 5/8/2008- Hey you,
I LOVE that song by the Casinos this week. I think it's one of the prettiest "pop" songs ever written and a great slow dance song. :) I keep getting a flash back of a girl/boy party in 6th or 7th grade. I remember slow dancing with someone - maybe Kevin. I can almost see the room (someone's basement/ rumpus room) and I know the guy had on a sweater but I can't quite see the face. I'll keep you posted. Anyway - thanks for playing it for me. Take care. B. - 4/25/2008- Larry - Thanks so much for Otis!
Can you find "Then You Can Say Goodbye" by The Casino's? Thanks! Betsy 4/18/2008- Thanks for sharing the one hit wonder.
I'm surprised this only made it to #7 as its played quite often as an oldie. Keep the sounds coming. JJ 4/13/2008- Lovin the tunes, Larry.See ya in June. Randy R. 3/21/2008
- Mr. Larry; Thanks for all you do for us little people.
Sincerely JJ 3/7/2008- Thanks Larry! Nothing like a Dirty Old Woman! Betsy
3/3/2008- This is very cool.My kind of music. Thanks. George S.
2/29/2008- Larry, Does anyone remember the days at Legion Field with POCO & Pure Prairie League and the music park behind the pool and all the good times concerts concerts?
Bill M. 2/29/2008- Mr. Green sure does have a smooth voice. I'm surprised he didn't do even better. JJ 2/18/2008
- Hey Larry - Ever heard of "Dirty Old Woman" by Denise La Salle? You make my Fridays. Betsy
2/15/2008- Enjoyed Joe Cocker. Thanks folks. - Jim 2/8/2008
- This is a great song. Larry keep the tunes coming.
TC YF JJ 2/8/2008- A WONDERFUL site- Thanks for keeping GOOD MUSIC- Alive. - Big Doc-Bdge, GA 2/8/2008
- Greetings to all at FIA!
I've been longing to hear "The Bus' by the late, great Billy Preston. Any chance you got that in your vaults? Here's to a soulful 2008! Carlos - Cleveland, OH 1/29/2008- Hey Larry, I just read about Miles and Jimi being friends. How about some Hendrix soon.
Love the website, Joy 1/18/2008- Great to get the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Thanks, Pat M. 12/28/07- A great way to enjoy the history of music and the beautiful sounds of the blues. Robert B. 12/7/2007
- Enjoyed your special on the Rolling Stones. I would like to see more on Blues Artist old and young. Keep it Groovin. Robert B. 11/28/2007
- Larry, Johnny Guitar Watson really brings back some wasted brain cells! Wore out the grooves in that album the year it came out. Thanks David L. 11/9/07
- Watson is the man!!! Your Bro. Young Robert! 11/9/07
- OMG, This song (Humble Pie - Thirty Days In The Hole) so reminds me of you Larry and 1972! LOL Andrie - 10/5/07
- I love this website, I have to listen to this each and every day. Thank you very much. I will share this with all my
co-workers and friends. Nate 9/30/07- Love this site! I call it "Continuing Music Education"! I know the songs, but I didn't know all the stories behind the people who performed them. Andrie - 9/23/07
- Can you dig up Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel by Tavares? Thanks! D. - Cleveland OH 8/17/07
- The site is wonderful Larry and the music is just awesome!!! I love visiting It's Friday In Athens!!!! Please keep this going forever!!!! - Dierdra L. - President/CEO, Getan Records, THE LIGHTHOUSE GOSPELETTES!!! Athens, GA 7/29/07
- It's Friday? How about "Don't Roll Your Bloodshot Eyes at Me" for a little local flavor? Mark B. 7/27/07
- Consider the Manhattans on Friday’s! Frank P. 7/27/07
- Larry!!!! You MADE my day with "Build Me Up"! I'm on vacation in Santa Barbara and sent it to my co-workers with the threat that I can now play it anytime I want! Psych! Hello Don M in the bay area and to Betsy! Everyone raves about your site, Larry! It's awesome! Gratefully yours, Scotty 7/20/07
- Hey Larry, Before the summer's over we need something from the summer of love for its 40th anniversary. It's for us in the bay area. Don M. 7/13/07
- Hey Larry The music is just great.Would also like to hear'The Horse' by Cliff Nobles. Thanks. Double Divine 7/6/07
- Hey Larry, Remember those instrumentals that played before the top of the hour on AM Radio? How about "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles or "Soul Finger".
Thanks! Betsy K. 6/30/07- Larry, If I ever need a D.J. Guess what,You The Man!!! Thanx: Corndog 6/22/07
- Yes! it's Friday and I'm up here jammin' in Cleveland, OH. How about some Soul Generation - Body & Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be) Ya'll remember that one? Have a great weekend! losplus 6/22/07
- How about Earth, Wind and Fire? Angie G. 6/6/07
- Hooray for Friday!! Mary A. 6/1/07
- This group (The Four Tops) is great. Thanks VM Jimmy J. - 5/25/07
- Thanks for a Friday of Dusty Springfield, The Look of Love. Erica from Red Lobster, thanks for the look. - F.L. 4/5/07
- I love this site! Any chance I could hear "Coldest Days Of My Life" by the Chi-Lites? - 4/4/07
- I would love to hear "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous
Brothers or "Fats" Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" or "Blueberry Hill." Thanks, Patrick - 3/30/07- Hey Larry! You are amazing! I have my whole office dancing to these! Just great! Can you do a BeeGees for my boss and slip in Build Me Up Buttercup? I sing it anyway at work, may as well have the music to go along with it (the more to torture my co-workers with! Looking forward to all the Fridays-with-Larry! :) Scotty - 3/30/07
- Oh, my goodness, you found "Black Pearl." I nearly fainted this am, when I opened the site. Thank you sooooo much. Blessings P.W. Smith - 3/30/07
- Please add "Black Pearl" by The Checkmates...not sure what year, but thinking mid 60's. Thanks sooooooo much.
P. Smith - 3/23/07- This is a great website. My mom always listened to the "Oldies" station here, and I wanted to be just like my Mom, so I started listening to it and I loved it, and this website has some of my favorites. M. Pierce - 3/22/07
- Hey, I love the t-shirt. I have had it on
since I got home from Arizona. You did a good job. That was a great song last Friday (Wang Dang Doodle) - didn't know it but who ever requested it is someone I would like to hang with. And then
today we had The Zombies....that took me back to 8th grade and one of my first boy/girl parties. They were always held in someone's basement and the lights would go off by 9:00. That song always seem to bring on lots of smooching. I will not be naming names.... ;) Thanks again, Betsy- This is awesome!!! Thanks for the great site and fabulous music!! WooHoo!! Jen B. - 2/18/07
- I could not have picked a better artist. Thanks, Pat M.
- Thank you Larry - You have made my day! Betsy K.
- Mr. Larry, I really enjoyed Roy Head-Hey Hey. YF
Jim J. - 2/5/07- This always gets my Friday off to a great start! Love it!
Debbie - 1/26/07- Every once in a while my mornings are worth rising for, this has been one of them with Tina Turner.
Thanks Bill S. - 1/19/07- Keep up the good work. JJ - 1/19/07
- Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2007! I remember at this time in 1969 we were really gettng into Abbey Road! But oh, how I love the sweet soul music of the 60's and 70's as well. Thanks for your work in keeping this music alive. And keep on sending it, Brother! Dennis M. - 12/29/06
- Moonchild Diva in Motown - found the site by looking for Billy Stewart! I think you answered my question...who played bass on Billy's recordings? SO THANK YOU for clearing up the mystery! - 12/11/06
- Billy Stewart , alright, one of my favorites. Also, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, Willy Tee....
Your friend, Dirk H.- Thanks for Billy Stewart Larry - You have made
my day! Betsy K. - 12/8/07- I look forward to Friday's email. This is great.
Linda L. - 12/8/07- Wow! From your personal E-Mail account. I forward "Its Friday in Athens!!!" on to my friends often. The folks here at work are trying to figure me out. Their 56 year old C.E.O. sits in his office every Friday morning booming out R&B. Though it works for me, its not the type of behavior they expect from someone in my position. BLUES BANKER!
T. Turgeon - - Thanks for Joe T. Luv'd it! Roy Head and the Traits?
Hope you had a good Turkey Day. T. Turgeon - 11/27/07- I keep waiting for Jackie Wilson and Billy Stewart....I have
decided that like me, you have an older brother or sister who had you listening to this music as a kid. Hope all is well your way. Betsy K. - 11/25/06- How about a little Joe Tex? T. Turgeon
- Thanks, "I LOVE IT! Makes my day! M.N. - 9/29/06
- WOW WOW WOW AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW OF THE real STYLE OF MUSIC - Atlanta Cooking - 9/23/06
- In my time, this is the most fascinating music I have ever heard. **86 - 8/17/06
- Keep up the great and extremely important work. We met I believe at Michael Guthrie's house a few weeks ago at the HVARII Reunion. I am a great lover of our R&B and it's great to see someone who truly cares about it. Ole!
T. Turgeon - 8/2/06- Again, the "It's Friday" series is great - I love it every week and have sent it on to so many folks -
thanks again. Betsy K.
- Aretha is my personal favorite so far! Peggy M.
- LOVE THIS...I NEED SOMETHNG TO GET ME THROUGH THE DAY !!!! C. Lady - 6/3/07
- Great! Perfect! Dance Music I Love It!!! Laine L.
- I think you missed your calling as a DJ! Nicki S.
- Keep 'em coming!! I really enjoy listening to "my kind of music". Thank you. Mary M.
- I like getting your email every Friday, keep it coming!
Carlas A.
- DON'T FORGET THE 'QUEEN OF SOUL'........ ARETHA!!!!! YOUR MAKING MY FRIDAYS. RONK
- MY FRIENDS REALLY LIKE FRIDAY IN ATHENS! ONE IS SENDING EVERYONE AT THE COURTHOUSE AN EMAIL. Ron H.
- THANKS SO MUCH EACH WEEK! Nancy W.
- This makes me smile! Ray C.
- Great job, keep up the good work. Terry T.
- I SAVE UNTIL FRI AFTERNOON, BY 5:00 P.M. I'M REVVVVED!!! RONK - 5/19/06
- Thanks for this humanitarian service to get us crunk for district wide planning. Wilson Pickett reminds us to put a “spotlight on Otis Redding y’all”. Yeah,yeah, oh yeah. Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-Faaa! Karl S.
- Thanks. What a pleasant surprise to get to work and open this e-mail- glad I started with yours first. Melanie B.
- Thanks for the Friday emails Larry!! I really enjoy them.
Kim S.- Thanks for the sound of good music. I really do love my oldies but goodies. E. Luke - 5/19/06
- Thanks!!! This is great! Jane B.
- Great site! How about some Sam Cooke??? - 5/19/06
- Thanks for the music! Steve P.
- I love this! Thanks. Dianne M.
- I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your Friday emails. Thanks for including me! Betsy K.
- I appreciate the link – good stuff!
Jon W.- I LIKE IT!!!!!! Thanks and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Barbara S.
- THIS IS GREAT!!!!!! Susan R.
- So in your spare time you try to cheer up everyone? Thanks, Lori R.
- I love these songs. Thanks. Terri S.
- Awesome……Thanks for doing this, we all look forward to it every week. I’ve sent it to everyone I know!
Debi D.- I needed this today! Thanks. Susan S.
Good selection for this fabulous Friday!!!!!- Thanks for the Music this morning. I think I could listen to this all day, if people didn't think I was crazy for MOVING in my chair. Have a great weekend. Joyce G.
- This is awesome! Thanks, Debi D.
since March 24, 2006
About The Artist
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan (born September 1, 1957) is a Cuban American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those in the United States alone. She has won seven Grammy Awards, and is the most successful crossover performer in Latin music to date.
Early lifeGloria María Milagrosa Fajardo was born September 1, 1957 in Havana, Cuba, to Jose and Gloria Fajardo. Her maternal grandfather, Leonardo Garcia, immigrated to Cuba from Pola de Siero, Asturias, Spain, where he married Gloria's maternal grandmother, originally from Logroño, Spain. Prior to the Cuban Revolution, her father was a Cuban soldier and a bodyguard to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. The Fajardo family fled to Lafayette, Indiana as a result of the Cuban Revolution, eventually settling down in Miami, Florida. Shortly after they moved to the United States, Gloria's father joined the US military and fought in the Vietnam War, also having participated in the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Gloria attended St. Michael-Archangel School and Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami. Her father became ill after returning from Vietnam and Gloria helped her mother, Gloria Fajardo, care for him. Her mother worked hard as a school teacher for the Dade County Public School system. Gloria Estefan graduated from college in 1979 with a B.A. in psychology, with a minor in French, from the University of Miami. When she was studying at the university, she worked as an English/Spanish/French translator at Miami International Airport Customs Department and, because of her language abilities, was once approached by the CIA as a possible employee. Estefan was raised Catholic.
Marriage
Gloria Estefan receiving flowers for her birthday at her show in the Ahoy Rotterdam, September 1, 2008Gloria became romantically involved with the Miami Sound Machine's band leader, Emilio Estefan, in 1976. She and Emilio married on September 2, 1978. They have a son, Nayib (born September 2, 1980) and a daughter, Emily Marie (born December 5, 1994). The family lives in the Star Island section of Miami Beach, Florida.
Career in singing Mid-1970s through the 1980sStarting in 1977, the Miami Sound Machine,the same band as the Miami Latin Boys, with Gloria Estefan began recording and releasing various albums, 45s, and 12"s on the Audiofon Records label in Miami. The first album from 1977 was entitled Live Again Renacer and was released with two different covers. After several more releases on the Audiofon label as well as the RCA Victor label and Miami Sound Machine's own label MSM Records, the band was signed to Discos CBS International and released several albums, 45s, and 12"s beginning with 1980s self-titled album Miami Sound Machine. Growing in popularity in both the United States and around the world, the group would continue recording and issuing various works for Discos CBS International through 1985. In 1984, Miami Sound Machine released their first Epic/Columbia album, Eyes of Innocence, which contained the dance hit "Dr. Beat" as well as the ballad "I Need Your Love". Their more successful follow-up album Primitive Love was released in 1985 launching three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Conga" (U.S. #10), "Words Get In The Way" (U.S. #5), and "Bad Boy" (U.S. #8) became follow up hits in the U.S. and around the world. "Words Get in the Way" reached #1 on the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, establishing that the group could perform pop ballads as successfully as dance tunes. The song "Hot Summer Nights" was also released that year and was part of the film Top Gun.
Their next album, 1987's Let It Loose, went multi-platinum, with six million copies sold in the US. It featured the following hits: "Anything for You" (#1 Hot 100), "1-2-3" (#3 Hot 100), "Betcha Say That" (#36 Hot 100), "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" (#5 Hot 100), and "Can't Stay Away From You" (#6 Hot 100). "Can't Stay Away From You", "Anything for You" and "1-2-3" were all #1 Adult Contemporary hits as well.
In 1988, Estefan took top billing and the band's name changed to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. Beginning in 1989, the group's name was dropped altogether. Estefan was credited as a solo artist, though the ever-changing line-up of Miami Sound Machine continues as her backing band to this day.
In 1988, after the worldwide chart success of single "Anything for You", her Let it Loose album was repackaged as Anything for You. It became the band's first UK #1 album, selling over a million copies.[citation needed] It was the biggest selling album of the year in The Netherlands, staying at #1 for 22 weeks. The album also took top honors in Australia and Canada, launching Estefan to superstar status.
1990s 1990: Cuts Both Ways, tour bus accident and surgeryIn late 1989, she released her best-selling album to date, Cuts Both Ways. The album included the hit singles "Don't Wanna Lose You" (a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit), "Oye mi Canto (Hear my Voice)", "Here We Are", "Cuts Both Ways" (#1 on the U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart) and "Get on Your Feet".
While touring in support of Cuts Both Ways on March 20, 1990, near Scranton, Pennsylvania, Estefan was critically injured, suffering a fractured spine when a speeding semi-truck crashed into the tour bus she was in during a snowstorm. She was taken to Community Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit and the next day was flown by helicopter to New York City, where surgeons at the Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center permanently implanted two titanium rods to stabilize her vertebral column. Her rehabilitation required almost a year of intensive physical therapy by Michael Klepper[citation needed], but she achieved a complete recovery. She returned to an international tour ten months after the accident.
1991–1992: Into The Light and The Greatest HitsEstefan returned to the charts with a concept album, Into the Light, in 1991. She performed "Coming Out of the Dark" for the first time on the American Music Awards in January 1991, receiving a standing ovation as she took the stage. "Coming Out of the Dark" reached #1 in the U.S. as a single a few months later. Other popular singles were "Seal Our Fate" and "Live for Loving You". The album peaked at number five on the Billboard album chart, becoming her highest debut; it also peaked at number two on the British albums chart. Eventually the album went platinum in the UK and double platinum in the US. The Into the Light World Tour covered 100 cities in five countries and was seen by more than 10 million people worldwide.
She followed up Into the Light with her first greatest-hits album, Gloria Estefan Greatest Hits. It was released in 1992, and included the U.S. hit ballads "Always Tomorrow" and "I See Your Smile" along with the international hit dance track "Go Away". Also in 1992, Estefan sang backup on fellow Cuban-American singer-songwriter Jon Secada's breakthrough single "Just Another Day". She spent much of 1992 in Miami, helping relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Andrew.
1993: Mi Tierra and Christmas Through Your EyesIn 1993, Estefan released the album Mi Tierra, her first Spanish-language album. It peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard album chart and number eleven on the British album chart. The singles "Mi Tierra" and the romantic-tropical ballad "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" and "Mi Buen Amor", climbed to number-one on the "Hot Latin Tracks" chart in the United States. The album sold over eight million copies worldwide, went multiplatinum in Spain (15X) and platinum in the United States, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, Gold in Switzerland and Australia, and won a Grammy Award for "Best Tropical Latin Album".
That same year, Estefan released her first Christmas album, Christmas Through Your Eyes, the first album from Estefan to not be produced by her husband Emilio Estefan Jr. The collection included the singles "This Christmas" and "Silent Night".The album went Platinum in the United States.
Also in 1993, Estefan collaborated with Frank Sinatra on his album Duets with the song "Come Rain or Come Shine".
1994–1995: Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me and Abriendo PuertasHold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me, a cover album of some of Estefan's favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s, was released in 1994. "Turn the Beat Around", the first single and a remake of Vicki Sue Robinson's 1976 discodeg classic, became another international hit, certified gold in the US. It also was used in the Sharon Stone film The Specialist.
1995's Spanish-language album Abriendo Puertas earned Estefan her second Grammy Award for "Best Tropical Latin Album". It spun off two #1 dance hits, "Abriendo Puertas" and "Tres Deseos", and two #1 Latin singles, "Abriendo Puertas" and "Más Allá".
In January 1995, the Miami Sound Machine performed at the Super Bowl XXIX halftime show, with Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, in a program entitled "Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye", to promote the upcoming Disney theme park attraction.
1996–1997: Summer Olympics and DestinyThe platinum-selling album Destiny, released in 1996, featured "Reach", the official theme of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Estefan performed in the Summer Olympics closing ceremony, in front of an audience of two billion people worldwide, during which she performed the songs "Reach" and "You'll Be Mine (Party Time)".
On July 18, 1996, Estefan embarked on her Evolution World Tour (her first tour in five years), which covered the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, South Africa and Asia.
1998: Back to dance: gloria!Estefan rode the wave of the Disco revival in the U.S. during the late 1990s. On June 2, 1998, she released her eighth solo album, (twenty-first overall), gloria!. The album is highly influenced by Disco music,[citation needed] blended with Salsa music percussion and Latin flavour. To promote gloria!, she performed at the famed New York City discoteque Studio 54.
The album peaked at #23 on the Billboard 200. The album reached Gold certification. The single "Oye!" peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and the Hot Latin Tracks charts. The other major hit single releases were "Don't Let This Moment End", which peaked at #76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Heaven's What I Feel", which peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1999: "Music of My Heart"In 1999, Estefan performed a duet with *NSYNC on the single "Music Of My Heart", which was featured in a film in which she also appeared, Music of the Heart. The song reached #2 on the Billboard chart and was nominated for an Academy Award. She also released a Latin hit with the Brazilian group So Pra Contrariar called "Santo Santo", sang with Luciano Pavarotti in Pavarotti and Friends for Guatemala and Kosovo, and released the benefit album A Rosie Christmas..
She also made a couple of sporting event appearances. The first event was a performance with Stevie Wonder at Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami. She also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at game three of the 2003 World Series in Miami between the Florida Marlins and New York Yankees.
2000sGreatest Hits Vol. II was released in 2001. It contained hits from 1993 to 2000, as well as three new songs and a remix of her first hit "Conga", retitled "Y-Tu-Conga". The song "Out of Nowhere" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category for Best Dance Recording; another song from the album, "You Can't Walk Away from Love", was featured in the film Original Sin.
2003–2004: UnwrappedIn 2003, Estefan released Unwrapped, her first English-language CD in five years. To promote the CD, she toured Europe, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. The video for the single "Hoy", had been filmed in Machu Picchu, Peru. "Hoy" and "Tu Fotografía" both reached #1 on Billboard's Latin chart, and "I Wish You" reached the AC top 20.
On July 28, 2004, at the Trump Tower building, in a press conference hosted by Donald Trump, Estefan announced that her then-upcoming tour would be her final one. The Live & Re-Wrapped Tour, was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment. It began in Hidalgo, Texas on July 30, 2004, and played in 26 cities; it featured Estefan's greatest hits, along with new material from Unwrapped. The final concert of the tour took place in Estefan's hometown of Miami on the weekend of October 9 and 10, in front of a sold-out crowd, despite having been delayed for two weeks by a hurricane.
2005: Mash-up hit with Mylo and the tributesOn April 7, 2005, Estefan participated in "Selena ¡VIVE!", the tribute concert for Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the "Queen of Tejano", who was murdered in March 1995 on the brink of her attempt to cross over as an English-language performer. Gloria performed "I Could Fall in Love", one of Selena's posthumously released crossover hits. Also that year, Estefan appeared on the soundtrack for the television series Desperate Housewives, singing a song titled "Young Hearts Run Free".
In late 2005, the club mash-up "Dr. Pressure" was released, which combined Mylo's Number 19 hit "Drop The Pressure" with the Miami Sound Machine's "Dr. Beat". It reached #3 on the UK singles chart and #1 on the Australian dance chart, providing Estefan with her first top 40 hit and commercial radio airplay since 1996.
2006: Compilations and the UK promo tour
Gloria Estefan performs at an event to celebrate the United Through Reading program aboard the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), September 14, 2006In early 2006, Estefan performed in Los Angeles at a tribute to singer Dionne Warwick. Estefan sang "Walk On By", one of Warwick's signature songs.
In October 2006, Sony released a 2-CD compilation The Essential Gloria Estefan, featuring her hits from 1984 to 2003, an made several radio and television appearances to promote The Essential Gloria Estefan including a December 9, 2006 appearance on ITV's The X Factor.
Estefan also released two additional similar compilation albums that year for other markets. The Very Best of Gloria Estefan was released in Europe and Mexico, and was similar to The Essential Gloria Estefan, but also included as a bonus track "Dr. Pressure". This compilation was certified GOLD in Ireland. Oye Mi Canto!: Los Grandes Exitos, a collection of her Spanish-language hits was released in Spain. It included a bonus DVD, which included various music videos and television performances.
2008–2009 highlightsIn 2008, Gloria appeared during the seventh season of American Idol, in the special charity episode "Idol Gives Back", performing her song "Get on Your Feet" along with Sheila E.. The performance was recorded and was released at the American iTunes store; the video of the performance reached the number twenty of the store's Top 100 videos, and the song became the most downloaded.[citation needed] Estefan became the headliner of the new venue of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Her three-day shows were sold out. She then headed to Canada to perform at the Casino Rama. In August, she started her "90 Millas World Tour". Gloria played concerts in London, Rotterdam, Belfast and Aruba. Gloria performed several concerts in Spain, specifically Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Tenerife. Two of these concerts, in Las Ventas, Spain, and Rotterdam, The Netherlands, were free to the public.
Back in the states, Gloria performed a special concert at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to raise funds for the Education of South Florida. Gloria was a headliner for Bette Midler's "Annual Hulaween Gala" along with other special guests such as Kathy Griffin and a costume contest judged by Michael Kors. The event benefited the New York Restoration Project.
During the Thanksgiving season, Gloria Estefan appeared on Rosie O' Donnell's television special Rosie Live! singing a duet with O'Donnell titled "Gonna Eat For Thanksgiving", an alternate version of "Gonna Eat For Christmas" from on O'Donnell's album A Rosie Christmas.
In 2009, Estefan announced plans for her "farewell tour" of Latin America and South America. Estefan has explained that this tour is intended to be her last, so that she can spend more time with her daughter Emily. Estefan also completed a 3 night concert series with Carole King entitled "She's Got a Friend" at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The tour continued with a concert at Guadalajara in Mexico, as part of a program designed to improve tourism in Mexico, and a series of appearances at music festivals throughout Europe, including headlining at the Summer Pops Music Festival in Liverpool on the July 27, 2009.
This same year, Gloria opened the "In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina 2009" with "No Llores". Also, at the end, Estefan together with Jennifer Lopez, Thalía, Marc Anthony, José Feliciano, made a rendition to her Latin-classic, "Mi Tierra".
2010sGloria started out the new decade with a charity single: in March 2010, it was announced that she and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan Jr., would gather Latin artists to remake Michael Jackson's song "We Are The World", but sung in Spanish. The song, written by Estefan and approved by Quincy Jones, has been recorded and called "Somos El Mundo". It premiered during El Show de Cristina on March 1, 2010 and all the funds went to Haitian relief.
On March 24, 2010, Gloria led a march through the Calle Ocho in Miami to support Cuba's Las Damas De Blanco (Ladies in White). Estefan did this to make people remember the movement's Havana march of 2003, where women protested on behalf of 75 victims of Castro's government.
Closer to the year's end, Gloria made part of a project for a benefit for the Urban Arts Partnership in New York on its 10th edition, 24 Hours Of Play In Broadway, she made a special role in a play named I Think You'll Love This One, which was written by a 20-year-old winner of the Montblanc writers project, Elizabeth Cruz Cortes. Her fellow actors were Elijah Wood, Diane Neal and Alicia Witt. Estefan's performance was praised by critics and by the director of the play.
2011 Miss Little HavanaEstefan is currently working on a new dance oriented studio album which is set for a 2011 release and is described by Estefan as a project in the vein of her 1998 hit album gloria!. She is collaborating with producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo from The Neptunes.
On April 7, 2011, Estefan made an unannounced appearance at auditions for The X Factor in Miami, and gave encouragement to the 7,500 participants gathered outside the Bank United Center for auditions.
Estefan revealed in a tweet on May 23, 2011, that the new album would be titled Miss Little Havana.[36] The album is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 27, 2011, with the physical CD available only at Target.
A song from the album, "Wepa", was premiered on May 31, 2011, in the American Airlines Arena with a special video for Miami Heat, released on YouTube on June 1. It also been reported, that this song will be the lead single of this album, with a digital release programed for July 23, 2011.
In 2011, Estefan was inducted to the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with Grammy and Emmy award winner Harry Connick Jr.. Both singers performed at a special concert on June 17, 2011, with Thomas Wilkins as their musical conductor. Proceeds for this event benefitted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute education programs.
[edit] Career outside of singing[edit] Film and television appearancesEstefan has appeared in two films, Music of the Heart (1999) and For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000). Estefan made a cameo appearance with her husband in Marley & Me in 2008.
Estefan was cast to star as Connie Francis, a U.S. pop singer of the 1950s and early 1960s, in Who's Sorry Now?, based on Francis' life. Filming supposedly began in late 2008, according to Parade Magazine (March 23, 2008). Estefan, in an interview with www.allheadlinenews.com, stated the film would be released in 2009. As of December 2009, the film has been dropped as Connie Francis had irreconcilable differences with Estefan over the film's writer. Francis wanted to hire writer Robert L. Freedman, who had written the Emmy Award winning mini-series Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows. Estefan refused to consider him, which according to Francis ended the project collaboration.
Estefan appeared in the ABC television special Elmopalooza, which aired February 20, 1998, in which she sang the song "Mambo, I, I, I". In April 2004, Estefan appeared on the Fox Broadcasting Company's program, American Idol as a guest mentor for the contestants' Latin week.
BooksEstefan has written two children's books: The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog (2005) and Noelle's Treasure Tale (2006). The latter book spent a week at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller list for children's books.
She also collaborated on a cookbook with her husband entitled Estefan Kitchen, which was published in 2008. It contains 60 traditional Cuban recipes.
Other business ventures
The Cardozo hotel on Ocean Drive, in Miami Beach, Florida.Gloria and Emilio Estefan own a number of business establishments, including seven Cuban-themed restaurants (Bongos Cuban Café). The restaurants are located in Miami; Miami Beach, Downtown Miami, part of the American Airlines Arena; Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney in Orlando; Mexico City; and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They also own two hotels: the Costa d'Este in Vero Beach which opened in 2008, and The Cardozo in Miami Beach.
Gloria Estefan was appointed to the board of directors for Univision Communications Inc. in 2007, according to Hispanic Market Weekly. The Estefans' estimated net worth as of 2011 was approximately $700 million, according to an article in People En Espanol magazine.
In June 2009, Gloria Estefan and her husband bought a "very small" ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins.
AwardsMain article: List of awards received by Gloria Estefan
In addition to her seven Grammys, Estefan has received a number of other awards. In May 1993, she received the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, which is the highest award that can be given to a naturalized U.S. citizen. She has won the Hispanic Heritage Award, an MTV Video Music Award, two cable television ACE Awards and the 1993 National Music Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year award. The singer is the recipient of the American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her husband, Emilio, a world-renowned music impresario, received a star adjacent to his wife's on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.
Estefan holds an honorary doctoral degree in music from the University of Miami, awarded in 1993. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami. In 2002, Barry University in Miami bestowed upon her an honorary law degree. Along with her husband, Estefan received an honorary doctoral degree in music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2007. She also delivered the commencement address to the 2007 graduating class.
In 2002, she received the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Medallion of Excellence for Community Service. The singer was Musicares Person of the Year in 1994. Gloria also founded the Gloria Estefan Foundation whose goal is to help those with spinal cord injuries.
She has been honored twice by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1992, she served as a public member of the United States Delegation to the 47th General Assembly to the United Nations.
Estefan received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year award at the Latin Grammy Awards in November 2008 in recognition of her twenty-five year singing career. She is the first female singer to receive this award.[citation needed] She also received a Latin Grammy for "Best Traditional Tropical Album" for 90 Millas, and a Latin Grammy for "Best Tropical Song" for her single, "Píntame De Colores". This marked the first occasion for Estefan to ever win a Grammy award for a song (either Latin or non-Latin).
On March 12, 2009, Estefan was honored as a BMI Icon at the 16th annual BMI Latin Awards. Her catalog boasts 22 BMI Latin and Pop Awards, along with 11 BMI Million-Air Awards.
In April 2010, Estefan and her husband received a star in the "Walk Of Stars" in Las Vegas for their contribution to music industry. On April 28, 2011, at the Latin Billboard Awards, Estefan was honored with the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for her philanthropic work.
Info courtesy of Wikipedia.org
Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
