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About the Artist

RUBEN BLADES

Rubén Blades has been a distinguished singer, composer, actor, and political figure. He didn’t enter the world of music by accident: he was born and raised in the perfect environment for his future musical training. His Cuban mother, Anoland Bellido de Luna, played the piano, and his Panamanian father, Rubén Blades, played percussion. Under their musical influence, he cultivated his innate talent, alternating between law and political science at the National University of Panama. Never once did he lose his love of music, performing at local venues around the city. In 1968, he traveled to New York, where he was invited to record an album with the Pete Rodríguez Orchestra. This opportunity allowed him to make important contacts in the music world. He returned to Panama to finish his studies and graduate, independent of his career. For him, music was an immediate goal. He returned to New York, and fate led him to a job in the mail room of Fania Records. Direct contact with the musical talent on the label gave him a new opportunity when Ray Barretto needed a substitute for his lead singer, who had left the band. He found the talent he was looking for in Rubén Blades, who in turn took an important step in his musical career. Another opportunity presented itself when Héctor Lavoe left his position as lead vocalist for the Willie Colón Orchestra. Rubén Blades took the spot, beginning a glorious career with an uninterrupted series of enormous hits.

RUBEN BLADES

Rubén Blades se ha destacado como cantante, compositor, actor y figura política. No incursiona en el mundo de la música por casualidad, nace y crece en un ambiente que le es muy propicio para su futura formación musical. Su madre, Anoland Bellido de Luna, cubana, tocaba el piano, y su padre, Rubén Blades, panameño, tocaba la percusión. Con esta influencia cultiva su innato talento alternando sus estudios en la Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas en la Universidad Nacional de Panamá, sin abandonar su afición por la música actuando en locales públicos de la ciudad. En 1968 viaja a Nueva York, donde se le ofrece unirse a la Orquesta de Pete Rodríguez para grabar un disco. Oportunidad que le permite contactar con importantes figuras del medio. Regresa a Panamá para concluir sus estudios y graduarse, pero independientemente a su carrera, la música constituye para él una aspiración inmediata. Regresa a Nueva York, y por designios del destino entra a trabajar en la compañía Fania como organizador y mensajero de correos. El contacto directo con su talento artístico le plantea una nueva oportunidad cuando Ray Barretto buscando un sustituto para ocupar el puesto dejado por el vocalista de su orquesta, encuentra en Rubén Blades el talento idóneo, dando así inicio a una importante carrera como músico profesional. Otra afortunada coincidencia se le presenta cuando Héctor Lavoe deja vacante el puesto de vocalista en la orquesta de Willie Colón, con el que Rubén Blades inicia una carrera consagratoria con una ininterrumpida secuencia de grades éxitos.

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