Rubén Blades | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Blades in 2019 | |
| Born | Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (1948-07-16)July 16, 1948 (age 76) Panama City, Panama |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse | |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | New York City |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
| Minister of Tourism of Panama | |
| In office 2004–2009 | |
| President | Martín Torrijos |
| Website | www |
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948),[1] known professionally asRubén Blades (Spanish:[ruˈβemˈblaðes],but[-ˈbleðs]in Panama and within the family),[2] is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in thesalsa, andLatin jazz genres. As a songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central Americannueva canción and Cubannueva trova as well as experimental tempos and politically inspiredSon Cubano salsa to his music, creating "thinking persons' (salsa) dance music". Blades has written dozens of hit songs, including "Pedro Navaja" and "El Cantante" (which becameHéctor Lavoe'ssignature song). He has won twelveGrammy Awards[3] out of 20 nominations and twelveLatin Grammy Awards.[4]
His acting career began in 1983, and has continued, sometimes with several-year breaks to focus on other projects. He has prominent roles in films such asCrossover Dreams (1985),The Milagro Beanfield War (1988),The Super (1991),Predator 2 (1990),Color of Night (1994),Safe House (2012),The Counselor (2013) andHands of Stone (2016), along with threeEmmy Award nominations for his performances inThe Josephine Baker Story (1991),Crazy from the Heart (1992) andThe Maldonado Miracle (2003). He portrayedDaniel Salazar, a main character on the TV seriesFear the Walking Dead (2015–2017; 2019–2023).
In 1994, Blades managed to attract 17% of the vote in a failedattempt to win the Panamanian presidency. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian presidentMartín Torrijos for a five-year term.
He made his U.S. debut with thePete Rodriguez orchestra in 1970 on his albumDe Panamá a New York and among his most successful albums areRubén Blades y Son del Solar... Live!,Amor y Control,Caminando,SALSWING!,Son de Panamá,Tangos,Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos,Buscando América,El Que la Hace la Paga,Escenas,Salsa Big Band,Metiendo Mano! and his famous albumSiembra released in 1978. In addition, he has collaborated with different artists such asUsher,Elvis Costello, as a soloist and as a guestMichael Jackson,Luis Miguel,Julio Iglesias,Ricky Martin,Juan Gabriel,Laura Pausini,Shakira,Thalía in the Spanish version of the song "What More Can I Give" written and translated by Blades as "Todo Para Ti". He has also participated in several productions by different Latino artists such as "Almost Like Praying", "Color Esperanza 2020", "Hoy Es Domingo" among other tracks. He also translated into Spanish the track "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" in the version called "Todo Mi Amor eres Tu" included in Jackson's anniversary albumBad 25.
Blades was born inPanama City,Panama.[1] He is the son of Cuban musician and actress Anoland Díaz (her real surname is Bellido de Luna), and Colombian Rubén Darío Blades Sr., an athlete, a percussionist and a graduate of theFederal Bureau of Narcotics inWashington, D.C. His younger brother,Roberto Blades, is also a musician. His mother's great-uncle, Juan Bellido de Luna, was active in the Cuban revolutionary movement against Spain[5] and was a writer and publisher in New York City. Blades's paternal grandfather, was thought to be Rubén Blades, an English-speaking native ofSt. Lucia who came to Panama as an accountant. However, in 2025 it was revealed onFinding Your Roots that Blades is actually the grandson of poetRicardo Miró. Blades says that the man he thought was his grandfather had come to Panama to work on thePanama Canal, as he states in the song "West Indian Man" on the albumAmor y Control ("That's where the Blades comes from") (1992). He explains the source and the pronunciation (/ˈbleɪdz/) of his family surname, which is of English origin, in his web showShow De Ruben Blades (SDRB).[6] Additionally, onFinding Your Roots it was revealed thatAmelia Denis de Icaza, the first Panamanian woman to publish her poems, was the aunt of Ricardo Miró, making her Blades's great-aunt.
In Blades's early days, he was a vocalist in Los Salvajes del Ritmo,[1] and also a songwriter and guest singer with a popular Latin musicconjunto (ensemble), Bush y sus Magníficos. His strongest influence of the day was theJoe Cuba sextet andCheo Feliciano, whose singing style he copied to the point of imitating his voice tone and vocal range.[7]
Blades earned multiple degrees in political science and law at theUniversidad Nacional de Panamá and performed legal work at the Bank of Panama as a law student.[citation needed]
Blades' first recording in the US was the solo albumDe Panamá a New York, with the Pete Rodriguez Orchestra,[1] which included original compositions such as "Juan Gonzalez", "Descarga Caliente" and "De Panamá a New York", recorded in 1969 atThe Sound Factory studio in California and released by New York City-based labelAlegre Records in 1970.[8] He then returned to Panamá and finished his degree.[citation needed]
In 1974, he moved to the United States, initially staying with his exiled parents in Miami, Florida, before moving to New York City where he began working in the mailroom atFania Records.[1] Soon Blades was working with salserosRay Barretto[1] andLarry Harlow. Shortly thereafter, Blades started collaborating with trombonist and bandleaderWillie Colón.[1] They recorded several albums together and participated in albums byplena singerMon Rivera and theFania All Stars.
Blades's first notable hit was a song on the 1977 albumMetiendo Mano that he had composed in 1968,[1] "Pablo Pueblo", a meditation about a working-class father who returns to his home after a long day at work. The song later became his unofficial campaign song when he ran for president of Panama. The Colón and Blades recording on the same album ofTite Curet Alonso's composition, "Plantación Adentro", which dealt with the brutal treatment of Indian natives in Latin America's colonial times, was a hit in various Caribbean countries. He wrote and performed several songs with the Fania All Stars and as a guest on other artists' releases, including the hits "Paula C", written about a girlfriend at the time; "Juan Pachanga", about a party animal who buries his pain for a lost love in dance and drink; and "Sin Tu Cariño", a love song, featuring abomba break. The latter two songs feature piano solos by the Puerto Rican pianistPapo Lucca.
In 1978, Blades wrote the song "El Cantante"; Colón convinced him to give the song to Colón's former musical partner,Héctor Lavoe, to record, since Lavoe's nickname was already "El Cantante de los Cantantes" ("the singer of singers"). Lavoe recorded it that same year, and it became both a big hit and Lavoe'ssignature song; abiographical film about Lavoe took the same title. (The filmEl Cantante, starring executive producerMarc Anthony and then wifeJennifer López, told a fictionalized version of this story, in which Blades tells Lavoe he wrote the song for him.)
The Colón and Blades albumSiembra (1978)[1] became the best-selling salsa record in history, with Blades writing all but one of the songs. It has sold over 3 million copies, and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries.[9] Its most famous song was "Pedro Navaja", a song inspired by the 1928 song "Mack the Knife"; it tells the story of a neighborhood thug who is killed by a street walker who knows him (he stabs her, she shoots him, they both die, a bum finds them, and takes their belongings). The song inspired a 1980 Puerto Rican musical,La verdadera historia de Pedro Navaja, and a 1984 Mexican film,Pedro Navaja, neither of which had Blades' involvement. Blades wrote and sang a sequel song, "Sorpresas", (surprises) on his 1985 album,Escenas, which revealed that Pedro had survived the incident and was still alive.
Blades became dissatisfied with Fania and tried to terminate his contract, but was legally obliged to record several more albums, released after his departure.[citation needed]
His 1981 songTiburón (with Willie Colon) protested against military interventions by the United States (the metaphorical "shark" in the song's title) in Latin America.[10] It received little airplay in the US because of its controversial political message, with Blades being accused of sympathizing with communism and becoming particularly unpopular with theCuban community in Miami.[10] Blades would later state that "I was out of the radio for fifteen years in [the US] because of 'Tiburon'."[citation needed] Although he explicitly characterizedTiburón as "ananti-imperialist song", he also sought to distance himself fromradical Anti-Americanism among the Latin American Left.[citation needed] A 2016 study concluded that "Regardless of his constant efforts not to be cornered ideologically [...] Blades always identified himself as a Panamanian and a Latin Americanist", inspired bySimón Bolívar.[citation needed]
In 1982 Blades got his first acting role, inThe Last Fight,[1] portraying a singer-turned-boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real-life world-champion boxerSalvador Sánchez. In 1984, he releasedBuscando América, and in 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent filmCrossover Dreams as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. Blades also began his career in filmsscoring music for soundtracks. Also in 1985, he earned a master's degree in international law fromHarvard Law School. He was the subject ofRobert Mugge's documentaryThe Return of Rubén Blades, which debuted at that year'sDenver Film Festival. He also recorded a segment for the60 Minutes television program, interviewed byMorley Safer.
In 1984, Blades left Fania, and signed withElektra,[1] although Fania continued to release recordings compiled from their archives for some years afterwards. Blades assembled a band (known variously as Seis del Solar or Son del Solar) and began touring and recording with them.[1] His first album with them,Escenas, included a duet withLinda Ronstadt (1985), won Blades his firstGrammy Award, forBest Tropical Latin Album. He then recorded the albumAgua de Luna, based on the short stories of writerGabriel García Márquez, in 1987. The next year he released the English-language collaborationNothing But the Truth,[1] with rock artistsSting,Elvis Costello, andLou Reed whose song "The Hit" aka its main chorus "Don't Double Cross the Ones You Love", appeared in the opening and closing credits ofSidney Lumet's 1990 crime drama filmQ & A; also in 1988 he released the more traditionally salsaAntecedente, again with Seis del Solar, which again won a Grammy Award.[1]
During the 1990s, he acted in films and continued to make records with Seis/Son del Solar. In 1990, he released the collectionPoetry: the Greatest Hits that according to Q Magazine "highlighted his political commentary and pastiche approach to music".[11]
In 1994, he mounted an unsuccessful Panamanian presidential bid, founding acenter-left party called Movimiento Papa Egoró (whose name comes from theEmberá language and means "Mother Earth").[12] The album that followed this experience was titledLa Rosa de los Vientos. He also made award-winning music such as Pena and Amor y Control, won the1997 Grammy forBest Tropical Latin Performance, and all its songs were by Panamanian songwriters, recorded using all Panamanian musicians. In 1996, Blades along with Son Miserables performed "No Te Miento (I Am Not Lying [to you])" for theAIDS benefit albumSilencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin produced by theRed Hot Organization. In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriterPaul Simon's firstBroadwaymusical,The Capeman, based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison, which also starredMarc Anthony andEdnita Nazario. His many film appearances includeThe Milagro Beanfield War (1988),The Two Jakes (1990),Predator 2 (1990),Mo' Better Blues (1990),Color of Night (1994), andDevil's Own (1997). He also guest-starred in an amusing episode ofThe X Files titled, "El Mundo Gira" ("As The World Turns"). He played immigration agent (la migra), Conrad Lozano, who works with Mulder and Scully to solve unexplained murders involving both rural California migrant workers and the Mexican folklore of ElChupacabra. In 1999, he played Mexican artistDiego Rivera inTim Robbins'Cradle Will Rock. In the 2003 filmOnce Upon a Time in Mexico, starringJohnny Depp,Antonio Banderas, andWillem Dafoe, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.
Blades's 1999 albumTiempos, which he recorded with musicians from the Costa Rican groupsEditus and Sexteto de Jazz Latino, represented a break from his salsa past and a further rejection of commercial trends inLatin music. Ironically, the album won aGrammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Blades was inducted into theInternational Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2001.[13] Even more eclectic was the 2002 albumMundo with the 11-member Editus Ensemble and bagpiperEric Rigler, which incorporated instruments from around the world.Mundo won theGrammy Award for Best World Music Album, and was also nominated for aLatin Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The same year, Blades guested onworld music artistDerek Trucks' album,Joyful Noise. In 2003 he followedMundo with a web site free-download project. Blades was presented with the Founders Award at the 2005ASCAP Latin Awards.[14] In 2004, he put his artistic career on hold when he began serving a five-year appointment as Panama's minister of tourism. Beginning in June 2007, however, Blades turned some of his attention back to his artistic career, presenting anonline TV show titledShow de Ruben Blades (SDRB) on his website.
In November 2005 he received an honorary degree from theBerklee College of Music.[15]
In May 2007, Blades was sued by his former bandmate Willie Colón for breach of contract. This led to a series of suits and countersuits that lasted over five years, resulting in decisions in Blades' favor.[16][17][18] In the middle of 2008 he took a leave of absence for a mini-tour in Europe, backed by the Costa Rican band Son de Tikizia. When his government service was completed in June 2009, he reunited the members of Seis del Solar for the 25th anniversary ofBuscando América in a tour of the Americas.[19]
In June 2011, Blades was given the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award by ASCAP and WhyHunger.
In 2014, Blades was the closing act for theFestival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico.[20]
In 2015, Blades' albumTangos won a Grammy award for Best Latin Pop Album.[21]
Blades expressed his interest in making another run for president of Panama in 2019.[22][23]
In 2015, Blades was cast in the regular role ofDaniel Salazar in theAMC post-apocalyptic dramaFear the Walking Dead,[24][25] a companion series toThe Walking Dead. Blades first appears in the second episode "So Close, Yet So Far".
In 2017, Blades performed as one of the featured artists forPuerto Rico inLin-Manuel Miranda's charity single "Almost Like Praying" to raise money for victims ofHurricane Maria.
In September 2018, Blades was appointed asNYU Steinhardt Dean's Inaugural Scholar-in-Residence atNew York University.[26]
In 2021, Blades was honored as theLatin Recording Academy Person of the Year for his contributions to Latin music and activism.[27]
In 2024, Blades received the Doctor of Music honorary degree atPrinceton University in New Jersey, USA.[28]
Lincoln Center in NYC named Blades its Visionary Artist for the 2024-2025 season.
In 2025, it was discovered onFinding Your Roots that Blades is the newly discovered grandson of poetRicardo Miró.
Blades holds a Law degree from theUniversity of Panama and anLL.M in International Law fromHarvard University.[29]
He is[when?] married to singerLuba Mason.[30]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Last Fight | Andy 'Kid Clave' | |
| 1985 | Crossover Dreams | Rudy Veloz | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead |
| 1987 | Critical Condition | Louis | |
| Sting: They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo) | Unknown | Video Short | |
| Fatal Beauty | Detective Carl Jimenez | ||
| 1988 | The Milagro Beanfield War | Sheriff Bernabe Montoya | |
| Homeboy | Doctor | ||
| 1989 | Disorganized Crime | Carlos Barrios | |
| The Lemon Sisters | C.W. | ||
| 1990 | Mo' Better Blues | Petey | |
| 1990 | The Two Jakes | Michael 'Mickey Nice' Weisskopf | |
| Predator 2 | Danny 'Danny Boy' Archuleta | ||
| Heart of the Deal | Unknown | ||
| 1991 | The Super | Marlon | |
| Ruben Blades: Camaleon | Unknown | Video Short | |
| 1993 | Life with Mikey | Angie's Dad | Uncredited |
| 1994 | A Million to Juan | Bartender | |
| Color of Night | Lieutenant Hector Martinez | ||
| 1995 | Scorpion Spring | Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa | |
| 1996 | Grampa | Doctor | |
| Eres mi Canción | Singer | Video Short | |
| Al compas de un sentimiento | Singer | ||
| 1997 | The Devil's Own | Officer Edwin 'Eddie' Diaz | |
| Chinese Box | Jim | ||
| 1999 | Cradle Will Rock | Diego Rivera | |
| 2000 | All the Pretty Horses | Hector De La Rocha | |
| 2002 | Assassination Tango | Miguel | |
| 2003 | Once Upon a Time in Mexico | FBI Agent Jorge Ramirez | |
| Imagining Argentina | Silvio Ayala | ||
| Spin | Ernesto Bejarano | ||
| 2005 | Secuestro express | Carla's Father | |
| 2009 | Spoken Word | Cruz Sr. | |
| 2011 | La siguiente estación | Benito | Short film |
| 2012 | Safe House | Carlos Villar | |
| For Greater Glory – The True Story of Cristiada | President Calles | ||
| 2013 | The Counselor | 'Jefe' | |
| 2016 | Hands of Stone | Carlos Eleta | |
| 2021 | Red Pill | Rocky |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Dead Man Out | Ben | Television Film |
| Cinemax Sessions | Unknown | Episode: "Latino Sessions" | |
| 1991 | The Josephine Baker Story | Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino | Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special |
| One Man's War | Horacio Galeano Perrone | Television Film | |
| Crazy from the Heart | Ernesto Ontiveros | Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | |
| 1993 | Miracle on Interstate 880 | Pastor Beruman | Television Film |
| 1997 | The X-Files | Conrad Lozano | Episode: "El Mundo Gira" |
| Falls Road | Luis Juega | Television Film | |
| 2000–2001 | Gideon's Crossing | Dr. Max Cabranes | Main role: 20 episodes (Season 1) |
| 2002 | Resurrection Blvd. | Martin | Episode: "Verguenza" |
| 2003 | The Maldonado Miracle | Cruz | Television Film Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special |
| 2015–2017; 2019–2023 | Fear the Walking Dead | Daniel Salazar | Main role (Seasons 1–3; Season 5–8) 46 episodes |
Note: At the4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards,Mundo also received a nomination forBest Engineered Album, which went to engineersWalter Flores, Oscar Marín, Daniela Pastore and Edín Solís.
Siembra was also a best-selling album for a salsa record, with 3 million copies sold around the world
