Héctor Lavoe | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lavoe in 1969 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | El Cantante de los Cantantes (The Singer Of The Singers)[1] |
| Born | Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (1946-09-30)September 30, 1946 |
| Died | June 29, 1993(1993-06-29) (aged 46) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1965–1992 |
| Labels | Fania Records[2] |
| Website | http://www.hectorlavoe.com/ |
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (September 30, 1946 – June 29, 1993),[3] better known asHéctor Lavoe, was aPuerto Ricansalsa singer.[4] Widely regarded as one of salsa's most important and influential vocalists, Lavoe played a pivotal role in popularizing the genre throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. His charismatic persona and artistic vision propelled him to become one of the most successful Latin music artists of all time.[5][6]
Lavoe was born and raised in theMachuelo Abajobarrio ofPonce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce, known today as theInstituto de Música Juan Morel Campos[7] and, inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo, developed an interest in music.[8] He moved toNew York City on May 3, 1963, at the age of sixteen.[8] Shortly after his arrival, he worked as the singer in a sextet formed by Roberto García.[8] During this period, he performed with several other groups, including Orquesta New York,Kako All-Stars, andJohnny Pacheco's band.
In 1967, Lavoe joinedWillie Colón's band as its vocalist,[9] recording several hit songs, including "El Malo" and "Canto a Borinquen." Lavoe moved on to become a soloist and formed his own band performing as lead vocalist.[9] As a soloist, Lavoe recorded several hits including: "El cantante" composed byRubén Blades, "Bandolera" composed by Colón, and "Periódico de ayer", composed byTite Curet Alonso. During this period he was frequently featured as a guest singer with theFania All Stars recording numerous tracks with the band.[8]
In 1979, Lavoe became deeplydepressed and sought the help of a high priest of theSantería faith to treat his drug addiction. After a short rehabilitation, he relapsed following the deaths of his father, son, and mother-in-law.[3] These events, along with being diagnosed withHIV from intravenous drug use, drove Lavoe to attempt suicide by jumping off the 9th floor of a Condado hotel room balcony inSan Juan, Puerto Rico on June 26, 1988.[3] He survived the attempt and recorded an album before his health began failing. Lavoe died on June 29, 1993, from a complication ofAIDS.[8]
Héctor was born on September 30, 1946 inPonce, Puerto Rico, to Francisca (Pachita) Martínez and Luis Pérez, and raised in theMachuelo Abajobarrio of the city.[10] He was inspired early in life by his musically talented family. His grandfather, Don Juan Martínez, was a singer of controversial songs, which led to physical confrontations. His uncle was well known in Ponce as atres player.[10] His mother Francisca, also known as Pachita, was well known by her family and townspeople for her beautiful singing voice.[10] His father, Luis, supported his wife and eight children by singing and playing guitar with trios and big bands. He was in high demand as a guitarist for the Fiestas de Cruz celebrations and other popular religious ceremonies, and he wanted his son to receive formal musical training as a trombonist; Héctor dreamt of being a singer.[11] Héctor was influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesús Sánchez Erazo, also known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón" - one of the island's most successful folk singers, andDaniel Santos.[10] Later in his life, he would record songs with both artists.
Héctor attended the localJuan Morel Campos Public School of Music where the first instrument he learned to play was thesaxophone. His classmates included José Febles and multi-instrumentalistPapo Lucca.[12] One of his teachers was very strict and demanded that he practice good diction and manners, and have a strong stage presence. He felt Héctor would become a superstar as abolero singer. From the start Héctor was a star with exceptional charisma, talent, and charm. One of a kind, his unique voice, refined and with impeccable diction, demanded attention. Well on his way to becoming a popular-music vocalist, he began frequenting clubs such as Segovia, where he sang accompanied by his childhood friends, Roberto García andJosé Febles.[11] At age 17, Lavoe abandoned school and sang with a ten-piece band.[9] He moved permanently to New York on May 3, 1963, against his father's wishes, as an older brother had moved there and later died of a drug overdose.[13][14] It would take many years before Héctor was able to reconcile with his father.
Upon arriving in New York he was met by his sister Priscilla.[15] The first thing that he did was to visit El Barrio, New York's "Spanish Harlem."[15] Héctor was disappointed by the condition of El Barrio which he had envisioned would have "fancy Cadillacs, tall marble skyscrapers, and tree-lined streets."[15] Héctor tried to earn a living as a painter, messenger, porter and concierge.[11]
One day he reconnected with his friend Roberto García. They began to frequent Latin music and dance clubs in the Bronx, Spanish Harlem, and Lower Manhattan. In 1965, Héctor met Russell Cohen, who fronted the New Yorkers - the band Héctor would first record with - the albumEstá de bala.[11] Héctor was invited by his friend Roberto García, a fellow musician and childhood friend, to a rehearsal of a newly formedsextet.[15] When he arrived, they were rehearsing the romanticbolero "Tus Ojos". The lead vocalist was singing off key, and as a goodwill gesture, Lavoe demonstrated how it was supposed to sound.[15] As a result of this selfless act, the group offered him the job of lead vocalist, which he subsequently accepted.[15]
Later in his career he joined other salsa groups including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, andJohnny Pacheco's FANIA . To distinguish Héctor from other Latino singers, a former manager made him adoptFelipe Rodríguez's moniker "La Voz" ("The Voice") and turned it into a stage name, Lavoe.[15]
In 1967, he met salsa musician and bandleaderWillie Colón. Johnny Pacheco, owner ofFania Records, and as its recording musical director, suggested that Colón record with Lavoe on a track on Colón's first albumEl Malo. Given the good results, Colón had Lavoe record the rest of the album's vocal tracks. Willie never officially asked Lavoe to join his band, but after the recording, said to him: "On Saturday we start at 10 p.m. at El Tropicoro Club."[16]
The album's success significantly transformed both Colón's and Lavoe's lives.[15] Colón's band featured a raw, aggressive, all-trombone sound that was well received by salsa fans, and Lavoe complemented the style with his articulate voice, talent for improvisation, and sense of humor.[15] The album was a massive multimillion-dollar success in France, Panama, Colombia and other countries.[11] Héctor received instant recognition, steady work, and enough money to provide him with a comfortable lifestyle.[15] According to Lavoe, it happened so fast he did not know how to cope with his sudden success. With the sudden fame came love and lust and experimentation with marijuana, heroin, and cocaine.[11]
During that year, Lavoe started a romantic relationship with Carmen Castro. She became pregnant but refused to marry him because she considered him a "womanizer."[17] Lavoe's first son, José Alberto Pérez, was born on October 30, 1968.[17] On the night José was baptized, Héctor received a call informing him that Nilda "Puchi" Román, with whom he also had a relationship during the same period he was with Castro, was pregnant.[17] Héctor's second son, Héctor Pérez Jr. was born on September 25, 1969.[17] Following the birth the couple married, and at Román's request, Lavoe had only minimum contact with Castro and José Alberto during their marriage.[17]
Willie Colón and Lavoe made fourteen albums together.[18] In late 1970, Colón and Lavoe recorded the first of twoAsalto Navideño albums, featuring Puerto Rican folk songs such as Ramito'sjíbaro song "Patria y Amor", renamed "Canto a Borinquen", and original compositions.[19]
Lavoe's lack of professionalism was often balanced by an affable onstage presence, very much resembling that of astand-up comedian.[20] One famous incident involved a middle-aged audience member at a dance who requested a Puerto Rican Mandanza from Colón's band; Lavoe responded with an insult.[20] The requester then gave Lavoe such a beating that he almost ended up in the hospital. The request was finally honored on a later Colón record,El Juicio (The Trial), when he added a danza section to the Rafael Muñoz song "Soñando despierto", which Lavoe introduces with a deadpanned: "¡Para ti, motherflower!" - aeuphemism for: "This one's for you,motherfucker!"[20]
The Colón band had other major hits, such as "Calle Luna, Calle Sol", and theSantería-influenced "Aguanile", a Pacheco song recorded in the studio by the band. "Mi Gente", was better known for a live version Lavoe recorded later with theFania All Stars.[citation needed]
In 1973, Willie Colón stopped touring to focus on record production and other business enterprises. Lavoe was given the opportunity to become the bandleader of his own orchestra.[8] He and his band traveled the world on their own, and he would also be a guest singer with theFania All-Stars for several shows. One of the group's notable performances took place in theKinshasa province of theZaire (modern day Democratic Republic of Congo) where the group performed as part of the activities promotingThe Rumble in the Jungle, a boxing fight betweenMuhammad Ali andGeorge Foreman for the heavyweight championships of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association.[21]
The Fania All Stars recorded several of their tracks during live concerts. Lavoe was part of the group when the All-Stars returned to Yankee Stadium in 1975, where the band recorded a two volume production entitledLive at Yankee Stadium. The event featured the top vocalists of Fania and Vaya records. Lavoe was included in the group along with: Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano,Justo Betancourt, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Cruz,Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colón, and Celia Cruz. Lavoe recorded songs with the band in fifteen different productions, serving as vocalist on twenty-three songs. Besides recording songs with the band, Lavoe was also present in three movies filmed and produced by Fania Records; these were:Fania All Stars: Our Latin Thing,Fania All Stars: Salsa, andCelia Cruz with the Fania All Stars: Live in Africa.[8] His Colón-produced albums would be best sellers; cuts from these albums were hits in Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America:
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Following his rehabilitation, Lavoe's life was plagued by tragic events, emotional turmoil, and pain.[26] In 1987, his seventeen-year-old son Héctor Jr. was accidentally shot and killed by a friend. In the same period, his apartment inRego Park, Queens, was destroyed in a fire. One year later, Héctor was scheduled to perform at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum inBayamón, Puerto Rico on the night of Saturday, June 25, 1988. Sales for the concert were poor, and promoterRick Sostre decided to cancel the concert two hours before concert time. Héctor, defiant to the end, and knowing that it would be one of the last times he would perform in Puerto Rico, decided, against the promoter's wishes, to perform for the public who had paid to see the concert.[3] The next day, Sunday, June 26, 1988, Héctor attempted suicide by jumping off the ninth floor of the Regency Hotel Condado inSan Juan, Puerto Rico.[16] He survived the attempt, but from that day forward, would never completely recover.[3][27]
In 1990, Héctor gave his last large, public performance with the Fania All Stars at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.[15] It was meant to be his comeback concert, but Héctor could not even sing a few notes of his famous song "Mi Gente".[15] It is believed his final public performance was a brief appearance at the club S.O.B.'s in New York City, in April 1992.[28]
On 29 June 1993, Héctor died atSaint Clare's Hospital (Manhattan) from a complication from AIDS.[8] He was 46. He was initially buried inSaint Raymond's Cemetery inthe Bronx. In June 2002, the remains of Lavoe and his son were exhumed at his family's request and reburied in his native Ponce, along with his widow Nilda who had died a few weeks before. His remains are at theCementerio Civil de Ponce (Ponce Civil Cemetery), in that city'sPortugués Urbano neighborhood.[29]
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Lavoe's life has inspired twobiographical films. The first,El Cantante, was produced by salsa artistMarc Anthony, who played Lavoe, andJennifer Lopez as Hector's wife, Nilda (known as "Puchi" by close friends).[30] Salsa singerLa India also began production of her ownbiopic of Lavoe's life entitledThe Singer, with actor and singerRaulito Carbonell in the lead role.[31] Production was suspended in August 2008 after the director, Anthony Felton, reported that it was over budget. Carbonell noted that he would reconsider his involvement if production were to resume.[32] The movie was eventually completed, in 2011, as "Lavoe: The Untold Story".[33]
AnOff-Broadway production based on Lavoe's life titled¿Quién mató a Héctor Lavoe? (Who Killed Hector Lavoe?) was a success in the late 1990s.[34] It starred singerDomingo Quiñones in the lead role.[35] Carbonell's decision to distance himself from the film directed by Felton was the direct result of his involvement in a tour ofQuien Mato a Héctor Lavoe? in Puerto Rico, and, depending upon negotiations, possiblyPeru andColombia.[32][36] An urban tribute album was released in late 2007 performed by several reggaeton artists such asDon Omar which sampled Lavoe's voice.[37]
In Ponce, he is recognized at thePark for the Illustrious Ponce Citizens.[38] Lavoe was posthumously inducted into theInternational Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000.[39]
La Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex in his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico,honored Hector with a statue. The $60,000 statue is 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) tall, weighs 1 ton and portrays Lavoe with a microphone in his right hand and a pair ofmaracas in his left.[40]
Tremont Avenue in the New York City's Borough of The Bronx was renamed in his honor, and remembrance.[41]
In 2023,Rolling Stone ranked Lavoe at number 73 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[42]
As vocalist of the Willie Colón Orchestra[43]
As soloist[44]
With Tito Puente
With the Fania All Stars
Lavoe also sang chorus on three songs ofMon Rivera's album withWillie Colón,There Goes The Neighborhood (1974), and in the song "Las Cadenas de Chuíto" on Jesús Sanchez Erazo's albumMúsica Jíbara para las Navidades (1978).
Films[45]
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