Héctor Lavoe
Encyclopedia
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (September 30, 1946 – June 29, 1993), better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican
salsa
singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito
sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. Early in his life, he attended a local music school
and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York City
when he was 17 years old. On his first week living in the city, he worked as the vocalist of a sextet formed by Roberto García. During this period, he performed with several other groups, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and the Johnny Pacheco band.
In 1967, Lavoe joined Willie Colón
's band and performed as the band vocalist. With the Willie Colón band, Lavoe recorded several hit songs, including "El malo" and "Canto a Borinquen". While working with the Willie Colón band, Lavoe became addicted to drugs
and began to habitually be late when scheduled to perform with the band. Colón eventually decided to not work with Hector on stage but they still remained good friends and made music in the studio together. Lavoe moved on to become a soloist and formed his own band, where he performed as lead vocalist. As a soloist Lavoe recorded several hits including "El cantante", "Bandolera" and "Periódico de ayer" ("El Cantante" was composed by Ruben Blades
, "Bandolera" by Colón and "Periódico" by Tite Curet Alonso
.) During this period he was frequently featured as an invited vocalist in the Fania All Stars, and recorded numerous tracks with the band.
In 1979, Lavoe underwent a deep depression and sought the help of a high priest (of the Santería
faith) to attend to his drug addiction. After a short rehabilitation, he relapsed following the deaths of his father, son and mother in law. These events, along with being diagnosed with HIV
, affected Lavoe to the point of attempting suicide by jumping off the balcony of a hotel room. Lavoe survived and recorded an album before his health began failing. Lavoe died on June 29, 1993, from a complication of AIDS
.
to Pachita and Luis Pérez, and raised in the Machuelito barrio
of the city. He was inspired early in life by his musically-talented family. His grandfather Don Juan Martínez was a singer of controversial songs, which often went from vocal conflict to physical confrontations. His uncle was a well-known tres
player in Ponce. His mother Pachita was well known among her family and townspeople for her beautiful singing voice. His father Luis supported his wife and eight children by singing and playing guitar with trios and big bands. Héctor would also be influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesus Sanchez Erazo also known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón"- one of the island's most successful folk singers, and Daniel Santos
. Later in his life, he would have the honor of recording songs with both artists.
Héctor attended the local Juan Morel Campos
Public School of Music where the saxophone
was the first instrument he learned to play. Among his classmates were Jose Febles and multi-instrumentalist Papo Lucca
. One of his teachers would strictly demand good diction, stage presence and manners from him claiming that as a bolero
singer, Héctor would become a superstar. By the age of 17, Lavoe abandoned school and sang with a ten-piece band. He moved permanently to New York on May 3, 1963, against his father's wishes, since an older brother had moved to the city and later died of a drug overdose. It would take many more years before Héctor was able to reconcile with his father.
." Héctor was disappointed in the condition of El Barrio which contrasted with his vision of "fancy Cadillacs, tall marble skyscrapers and tree-lined streets." Hector stayed at his sister's apartment in The Bronx
, instead.
The first week in New York, Héctor was invited by his friend Roberto García, a fellow musician and childhood friend, to a rehearsal of a newly formed sextet
. When he arrived they were rehearsing the romantic bolero Tus Ojos. The lead vocalist was singing off key, and as a gesture of goodwill, Lavoe showed the vocalist how it was supposed to sound. Following this event, the group offered him the spot of lead vocalist, which he subsequently accepted.
Later in his career, he joined other groups in the genre, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and Johnny Pacheco
. To distinguish Héctor from other Latino singers, a former manager made him adopt Felipe Rodriguez
's moniker "La Voz" ("The Voice") and turned it into a stage name, Lavoe.
In 1967, he met Salsa musician & bandleader Willie Colón
. Pacheco, co-owner of Fania Records
and its recording musical director, suggested that Colón record Lavoe on a track of Colón's first album El 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, Willie said to him, "On Saturday we start at 10 p.m. at El Tropicoro Club."
The album's success significantly transformed both Colón's and Lavoe's lives. 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. Héctor received instant recognition, steady work, and enough money to provide him with a comfortable lifestyle. According to Lavoe, it happened so fast he did not know how to cope with the sudden success.
During that year Lavoe started a romantic relationship with Carmen Castro. Castro became pregnant but refused to marry him because she considered him a "womanizer." Lavoe's first son, José Alberto Pérez was born on October 30, 1968. On the night when José was baptized, Héctor received a call informing him that Nilda "Puchi" Roman (with whom he also had a relationship during the same period he was with Castro) was pregnant. Héctor's second son, Héctor Jr. was born on September 25, 1969. Following this event, the couple married, and following a request by Roman, Lavoe kept the amount of contact with Castro and José Alberto to a minimum during their marriage.
song "Patria y Amor" (renamed "Canto a Borinquen") and original compositions.
While enjoying his newly found success, Héctor became severely addicted to narcotics, namely heroin, and prescription drugs. His addiction resulted in him showing up late for gigs, and he eventually did not show up to some scheduled performances at all. Although Colón would eventually cut ties with him, he tried to help Lavoe seek assistance to try to quit his drug habits.
Lavoe's lack of professionalism was often neutralized by an affable onstage presence, very much resembling that of a stand-up comedian. Another famous incident has a middle-aged audience member at a dance request a Puerto Rican danza
from Colón's band, to which Lavoe responded with an insult. The requester then gave Lavoe such a beating that he almost ended up in the hospital. The request was finally honored in 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 tí, Motherflower!" (a euphemism
for "This one's for you, motherfucker
!")
The Colón band had other major hits, such as "Calle Luna, Calle Sol", and the santería
influenced "Aguanilé"; a Pacheco song recorded in the studio by the band, "Mi Gente
", was better known in a live version Lavoe later recorded with the Fania All Stars.
. As part of these invitations, Lavoe was present at several shows with the group. One of the group's notable presentations took place in the Kinshasa
province of the Zaire
, where the group performed as part of the activities promoting The Rumble in the Jungle
, a boxing fight between Muhammad Ali
and George Foreman
for the heavyweight championships of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association.
The Fania All Stars recorded several of their tracks in 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 entitled Live at Yankee Stadium. The event featured the top vocalists in 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 in fifteen different productions with the band serving as vocalist in 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, and Celia Cruz with the Fania All Stars: Live in Africa. His Colón-produced albums would be best sellers; cuts from these albums were hits in Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America:
, the virus that can progress to AIDS
. These events would push him to the limit.
On the night of Saturday, June 25, 1988, Héctor was scheduled to perform at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
. Sales for the concert were low, and Ralph Mercado who was the promoter of the event decided to cancel the concert. 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 in front of the public who had paid to see the now canceled concert.
The next day, on June 26, 1988, Héctor attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the ninth floor of the Regency Hotel Condado in Puerto Rico. No reason for this was ever determined. He survived the attempt, but from that day forward, he would never completely recover as AIDS began to ravage his body due to the use of intravenous drugs and shared needles.
In 1990, Héctor gave his last large, public performance (with the Fania All Stars) in New Jersey. It was meant to be his comeback concert, but Héctor could not even sing a few notes of his famous song "Mi Gente". 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.
Héctor died on June 29, 1993, at a hospital in New York City. The cause of death was diagnosed as “a complication caused by AIDS." He was initially buried in a plot in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx. In June 2002, the bodies of both Lavoe and his son (who died in 1987) were exhumed per his family's request. They were reburied in his native Ponce, along with his widow Nilda who died a few weeks beforehand. Lavoe's remains are at the Cementerio Civil de Ponce (Ponce Civil Cemetery), at the northern end of Eduardo Ruberte Street in Barrio Segundo
.
s. The first, El Cantante
, is produced by two of the most prominent celebrities in the musical genre: salsa artist Marc Anthony
, stars as Lavoe, and Jennifer Lopez
as Hector's wife, Nilda (known as "Puchi" by close friends). Salsa singer La India
was also producing her own biopic of Lavoe's life, entitled The Singer, with actor Raul Carbonell in the lead role. This movie's production was suspended in August 2008, after the director, Anthony Felton, reported that the budget destined for the project had reached its limit. In response, Carbonell noted that he would reconsider his involvement in the production if the work is resumed.
Besides these films, an Off-Broadway
production of his life titled ¿Quién mató a Héctor Lavoe? (Who Killed Hector Lavoe?) was a success in the late 1990s. It starred singer Domingo Quiñones
in the lead role. Carbonell's decision to distance himself from the film was directly influenced by his involvement in a tour of Quien Mato a Héctor Lavoe? in Puerto Rico, which was undergoing negotiations to be presented in Peru
and Colombia
. An urban tribute album was released in late 2007 and was performed by several reggaeton artists such as Don Omar
while resampling Lavoe's voice.
.)
Lavoe also sang chorus on three songs of Mon Rivera
's album with Willie Colón, "Se Chavó El Vecindario / There Goes The Neighborhood" (1974), and in the song "Las Cadenas de Chuíto" on Jesús Sanchez Erazo's album "Música Jíbara para las Navidades" (1978, re-released in 2000)
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito
Machuelo Abajo
Machuelo Abajo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Machuelo Abajo is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of...
sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. Early in his life, he attended a local music school
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when he was 17 years old. On his first week living in the city, he worked as the vocalist of a sextet formed by Roberto García. During this period, he performed with several other groups, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and the Johnny Pacheco band.
In 1967, Lavoe joined Willie Colón
Willie Colón
William Anthony Colón is a Nuyorican salsa musician. Primarily a trombonist, Colón also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.-Early years:...
's band and performed as the band vocalist. With the Willie Colón band, Lavoe recorded several hit songs, including "El malo" and "Canto a Borinquen". While working with the Willie Colón band, Lavoe became addicted to drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and began to habitually be late when scheduled to perform with the band. Colón eventually decided to not work with Hector on stage but they still remained good friends and made music in the studio together. Lavoe moved on to become a soloist and formed his own band, where he performed as lead vocalist. As a soloist Lavoe recorded several hits including "El cantante", "Bandolera" and "Periódico de ayer" ("El Cantante" was composed by Ruben Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
, "Bandolera" by Colón and "Periódico" by Tite Curet Alonso
Tite Curet Alonso
Tite Curet Alonso was a renowned composer of over 2,000 salsa songs.- Early years :Born Catalino Curet Alonso in the southern town of Guayama in Puerto Rico. Alonso's mother was a seamtress and his father a Spanish teacher and musician in the band of Simon Madera...
.) During this period he was frequently featured as an invited vocalist in the Fania All Stars, and recorded numerous tracks with the band.
In 1979, Lavoe underwent a deep depression and sought the help of a high priest (of the Santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
faith) to attend to his drug addiction. After a short rehabilitation, he relapsed following the deaths of his father, son and mother in law. These events, along with being diagnosed with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, affected Lavoe to the point of attempting suicide by jumping off the balcony of a hotel room. Lavoe survived and recorded an album before his health began failing. Lavoe died on June 29, 1993, from a complication of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Early life
Héctor was born in Ponce, Puerto RicoPonce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
to Pachita and Luis Pérez, and raised in the Machuelito barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of the city. He was inspired early in life by his musically-talented family. His grandfather Don Juan Martínez was a singer of controversial songs, which often went from vocal conflict to physical confrontations. His uncle was a well-known tres
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
player in Ponce. His mother Pachita was well known among her family and townspeople for her beautiful singing voice. His father Luis supported his wife and eight children by singing and playing guitar with trios and big bands. Héctor would also be influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesus Sanchez Erazo also known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón"- one of the island's most successful folk singers, and Daniel Santos
Daniel Santos (singer)
Daniel Santos was a singer and composer of boleros, and an overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, including guaracha, plena and rumba...
. Later in his life, he would have the honor of recording songs with both artists.
Héctor attended the local Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos
Juan Morel Campos , sometimes erroneously spelled Juan Morell Campos, was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level.-Early years:...
Public School of Music where the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
was the first instrument he learned to play. Among his classmates were Jose Febles and multi-instrumentalist Papo Lucca
Papo Lucca
Enrique Arsenio Lucca Quiñonez, better known as Papo Lucca, born on April 10, 1946, Ponce, Puerto Rico.Papo Lucca is a famous Puerto Rican multi-instrumentalist , but is best known as a pianist. Main musical genre focus are Salsa and Latin Jazz...
. One of his teachers would strictly demand good diction, stage presence and manners from him claiming that as a bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
singer, Héctor would become a superstar. By the age of 17, Lavoe abandoned school and sang with a ten-piece band. He moved permanently to New York on May 3, 1963, against his father's wishes, since an older brother had moved to the city and later died of a drug overdose. It would take many more years before Héctor was able to reconcile with his father.
Arrival in New York City
He was met by his sister Priscilla upon arrival in New York. The first thing he did in New York was visit El Barrio, New York's "Spanish HarlemSpanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
." Héctor was disappointed in the condition of El Barrio which contrasted with his vision of "fancy Cadillacs, tall marble skyscrapers and tree-lined streets." Hector stayed at his sister's apartment in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, instead.
The first week in New York, Héctor was invited by his friend Roberto García, a fellow musician and childhood friend, to a rehearsal of a newly formed sextet
Sextet
A sextet is a formation containing exactly six members. It is commonly associated with vocal or musical instrument groups, but can be applied to any situation where six similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
. When he arrived they were rehearsing the romantic bolero Tus Ojos. The lead vocalist was singing off key, and as a gesture of goodwill, Lavoe showed the vocalist how it was supposed to sound. Following this event, the group offered him the spot of lead vocalist, which he subsequently accepted.
Later in his career, he joined other groups in the genre, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco is a Dominican producer, musician, bandleader, and one of the most influential figures in American salsa music.-Early life:...
. To distinguish Héctor from other Latino singers, a former manager made him adopt Felipe Rodriguez
Felipe Rodríguez
Luis Felipe Rodriguez, better known as Felipe "La Voz" Rodríguez, born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, was a singer of boleros. He is regarded as the most popular Puerto Rican male singer of the 1950s based on record sales and live audience records...
's moniker "La Voz" ("The Voice") and turned it into a stage name, Lavoe.
In 1967, he met Salsa musician & bandleader Willie Colón
Willie Colón
William Anthony Colón is a Nuyorican salsa musician. Primarily a trombonist, Colón also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.-Early years:...
. Pacheco, co-owner of Fania Records
Fania Records
Fania Records was a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. The label took its name from an old Cuban song by the singer Reinaldo Bolaño. Fania is known for its promotion of what has become...
and its recording musical director, suggested that Colón record Lavoe on a track of Colón's first album El 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, Willie said to him, "On Saturday we start at 10 p.m. at El Tropicoro Club."
The album's success significantly transformed both Colón's and Lavoe's lives. 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. Héctor received instant recognition, steady work, and enough money to provide him with a comfortable lifestyle. According to Lavoe, it happened so fast he did not know how to cope with the sudden success.
During that year Lavoe started a romantic relationship with Carmen Castro. Castro became pregnant but refused to marry him because she considered him a "womanizer." Lavoe's first son, José Alberto Pérez was born on October 30, 1968. On the night when José was baptized, Héctor received a call informing him that Nilda "Puchi" Roman (with whom he also had a relationship during the same period he was with Castro) was pregnant. Héctor's second son, Héctor Jr. was born on September 25, 1969. Following this event, the couple married, and following a request by Roman, Lavoe kept the amount of contact with Castro and José Alberto to a minimum during their marriage.
The Willie Colón years
In late 1970, Colón and Lavoe recorded the first of two "Asalto Navideño" albums, featuring Puerto Rican folk songs such as Ramito's jibaroJíbaro
Jíbaro is a term from the Taíno words "jiba" and "ro", that means forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain-dwelling peasants, but in modern times it has gained a broader cultural meaning.-History:...
song "Patria y Amor" (renamed "Canto a Borinquen") and original compositions.
While enjoying his newly found success, Héctor became severely addicted to narcotics, namely heroin, and prescription drugs. His addiction resulted in him showing up late for gigs, and he eventually did not show up to some scheduled performances at all. Although Colón would eventually cut ties with him, he tried to help Lavoe seek assistance to try to quit his drug habits.
Lavoe's lack of professionalism was often neutralized by an affable onstage presence, very much resembling that of a stand-up comedian. Another famous incident has a middle-aged audience member at a dance request a Puerto Rican danza
Danza
Danza is a musical genre that originated in Ponce, a city in southern Puerto Rico. It is a popular turn-of-the-twentieth-century ballroom dance genre slightly similar to the waltz. Both the danza and its cousin the contradanza are sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to...
from Colón's band, to which Lavoe responded with an insult. The requester then gave Lavoe such a beating that he almost ended up in the hospital. The request was finally honored in 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 tí, Motherflower!" (a euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
for "This one's for you, motherfucker
Motherfucker
Motherfucker is a vulgarism which, in its most literal sense, refers to one who participates in sexual intercourse with a mother, either someone else's mother, or his own.- Variants :...
!")
The Colón band had other major hits, such as "Calle Luna, Calle Sol", and the santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
influenced "Aguanilé"; a Pacheco song recorded in the studio by the band, "Mi Gente
Mi Gente
"Mi Gente" is a song by former Latin superstar Héctor Lavoe from the album, La Voz. It is considered by many Latinos to be his signature song...
", was better known in a live version Lavoe later recorded with the Fania All Stars.
Lavoe goes solo
In 1973, Willie Colón stopped touring to dedicate himself to record production and other business enterprises. Lavoe was given the opportunity of becoming bandleader to his own orchestra; he and his band traveled the world on their own, and he would also be a guest singer for the Fania All-StarsFania All-Stars
The Fania All-Stars was a musical ensemble established in 1968 by the composer, Johnny Pacheco, as a showcase for the musicians on the record label Fania Records, the leading salsa record company of the time.-Beginnings:...
. As part of these invitations, Lavoe was present at several shows with the group. One of the group's notable presentations took place in the Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
province of the Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, where the group performed as part of the activities promoting The Rumble in the Jungle
The Rumble in the Jungle
The Rumble in the Jungle was a historic boxing event that took place on October 30, 1974, in the Mai 20 Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire . It pitted then world Heavyweight champion George Foreman against former world champion and challenger Muhammad Ali...
, a boxing fight between Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
for the heavyweight championships of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association.
The Fania All Stars recorded several of their tracks in 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 entitled Live at Yankee Stadium. The event featured the top vocalists in Fania and Vaya records, Lavoe was included in the group along with Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Justo Betancourt
Justo Betancourt
Justo Betancourt is a Cuban singer famous for his interpretation of Pa' bravo yo. He was born in Matanzas, but has lived a significant amount of time in the United States and Puerto Rico. His music shows Cuban influence but developed in the direction of Puerto-Rican Salsa...
, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colón, and Celia Cruz. Lavoe recorded songs in fifteen different productions with the band serving as vocalist in 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, and Celia Cruz with the Fania All Stars: Live in Africa. His Colón-produced albums would be best sellers; cuts from these albums were hits in Puerto Rico and the rest of Latin America:
- Lavoe's recording of Tite Curet AlonsoTite Curet AlonsoTite Curet Alonso was a renowned composer of over 2,000 salsa songs.- Early years :Born Catalino Curet Alonso in the southern town of Guayama in Puerto Rico. Alonso's mother was a seamtress and his father a Spanish teacher and musician in the band of Simon Madera...
's "El Periódico de Ayer" was a number one hit in Mexican charts for four straight months. It was also a strong hit in several countries of the Caribbean and South America. - As a producer, Willie Colón had Lavoe record what would become his signature songSignature songA signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
, the Ruben BladesRubén BladesRubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
-authored song "El Cantante" against Blades' protests (Blades wanted to record the song on his own.). Blades has repeatedly acknowledged since then that, Lavoe raised his song to classic status and that Lavoe's performance was much better than what he would accomplish with it. - The Lavoe song "Bandolera" was a strong seller in Puerto Rico, despite strong protests from Puerto Rican feminists about its lyrics and soneos (Lavoe twice offers the song's subject a beating).
- Lavoe's recording of the Nicolás GuillénNicolás GuillénNicolás Cristóbal Guillén Batista was a Cuban poet, journalist, political activist, and writer. He is best remembered as the national poet of Cuba.Guillén was born in Camagüey, Cuba...
poem "Sóngoro Cosongo", set to salsa music, was another major hit. - The controversial jíbaroJíbaroJíbaro is a term from the Taíno words "jiba" and "ro", that means forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain-dwelling peasants, but in modern times it has gained a broader cultural meaning.-History:...
song, "Joven contra viejo", featured Lavoe and Daniel SantosDaniel Santos (singer)Daniel Santos was a singer and composer of boleros, and an overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, including guaracha, plena and rumba...
settling their age-based differences on-stage not without a heavy dose of humor and (yet again) Yomo Toro's cuatro music as a backdrop. Another major Christmas hit on Billboard Greatest hits for tropical genre in 1979 includes a song from singer/composer Miguel PoventudMiguel PoventudMiguel Poventud a.k.a. "El Niño Prodigio de Guayama" and "Miguelito" , was a Puerto Rican musician, singer, actor and composer of Boleros...
"Una Pena En La Navidad" in the same album titled "Feliz Navidad". - Lavoe's final hit, "El Rey de la Puntualidad" (The King of Punctuality), is a humorous takeoff on Lavoe's constant tardiness and occasional absenteeism from shows. Lavoe followed the Santeria priest's advice and cut all communication with his family and friends for a period of two months. Following this event Héctor, reappeared confident and apparently free of his drug addiction.
Last years and death
Following his rehabilitation, Lavoe's life was plagued by tragic events, emotional turmoil, and pain. Both his mother-in-law and father died, and his seventeen year old son Héctor, Jr. was accidentally shot by a friend. Also, Lavoe was diagnosed with HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, the virus that can progress to AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. These events would push him to the limit.
On the night of Saturday, June 25, 1988, Héctor was scheduled to perform at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
. Sales for the concert were low, and Ralph Mercado who was the promoter of the event decided to cancel the concert. 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 in front of the public who had paid to see the now canceled concert.
The next day, on June 26, 1988, Héctor attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the ninth floor of the Regency Hotel Condado in Puerto Rico. No reason for this was ever determined. He survived the attempt, but from that day forward, he would never completely recover as AIDS began to ravage his body due to the use of intravenous drugs and shared needles.
In 1990, Héctor gave his last large, public performance (with the Fania All Stars) in New Jersey. It was meant to be his comeback concert, but Héctor could not even sing a few notes of his famous song "Mi Gente". 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.
Héctor died on June 29, 1993, at a hospital in New York City. The cause of death was diagnosed as “a complication caused by AIDS." He was initially buried in a plot in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx. In June 2002, the bodies of both Lavoe and his son (who died in 1987) were exhumed per his family's request. They were reburied in his native Ponce, along with his widow Nilda who died a few weeks beforehand. Lavoe's remains are at the Cementerio Civil de Ponce (Ponce Civil Cemetery), at the northern end of Eduardo Ruberte Street in Barrio Segundo
Segundo (Ponce)
Segundo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Segundo is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
.
Posthumous recognitions
Lavoe's life has served as inspiration for two biographical filmBiographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
s. The first, El Cantante
El Cantante
El Cantante is a 2006 American film released in the United States on August 3, 2007. The biopic stars singer Marc Anthony and actress-singer Jennifer Lopez . The film is based on the life story of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe...
, is produced by two of the most prominent celebrities in the musical genre: salsa artist Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and three-time Latin Grammy–winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads...
, stars as Lavoe, and Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
as Hector's wife, Nilda (known as "Puchi" by close friends). Salsa singer La India
La India
La India , known also as "La Princesa de la Salsa" , is a singer of salsa. She has been nominated for both Grammy and Latin Grammy awards.-Early years:...
was also producing her own biopic of Lavoe's life, entitled The Singer, with actor Raul Carbonell in the lead role. This movie's production was suspended in August 2008, after the director, Anthony Felton, reported that the budget destined for the project had reached its limit. In response, Carbonell noted that he would reconsider his involvement in the production if the work is resumed.
Besides these films, an Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
production of his life titled ¿Quién mató a Héctor Lavoe? (Who Killed Hector Lavoe?) was a success in the late 1990s. It starred singer Domingo Quiñones
Domingo Quiñones
Domingo Quiñones is a singer of salsa music. He is also a composer, producer and actor.Domingo Quinones was born on August 9, 1963 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. When he was four years old he moved to Puerto Rico with his parents and lived in Ceiba. He returned to New York City in 1977. He began his...
in the lead role. Carbonell's decision to distance himself from the film was directly influenced by his involvement in a tour of Quien Mato a Héctor Lavoe? in Puerto Rico, which was undergoing negotiations to be presented in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. An urban tribute album was released in late 2007 and was performed by several reggaeton artists such as Don Omar
Don Omar
Don Omar, also known as El Rey Don Omar, also known as El Rey Don Omar, also known as El Rey (born William Omar Landrón Rivera; February 10, 1978, is a Puerto Rican Reggaetón singer and actor.-Early life:...
while resampling Lavoe's voice.
As vocalist of the Willie Colón Orchestra
(on Fania RecordsFania Records
Fania Records was a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. The label took its name from an old Cuban song by the singer Reinaldo Bolaño. Fania is known for its promotion of what has become...
.)
- El Malo (1967)
- The Hustler (1968)
- Guisando (1968)
- Cosa Nuestra (1969)
- La Gran Fuga (1970)
- Asalto Navideño (1971)
- El Juicio (1972)
- Asalto Navideño Vol. 2 (1973)
- Lo Mato (Si No Compra Este LP) (1973)
- Willie (1974)
- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (1975)
- Déjà Vu (1978)
- Vigilante (1983)
As a Soloist
- La VozLa Voz (Album)La Voz is the debut solo album by Héctor Lavoe, It was released on 1975 under the label of Fania Records.It had two major hits on Latin America and U.S.A: "El Todopoderoso" and "Mi Gente".-Track listing:#"El Todopoderoso" - 4:23...
(1975) - De Ti DependeDe Ti DependeDe Ti Depende is the second solo album by Héctor Lavoe, It was released on 1976 under the label of Fania Records.It's famous for the song "Periodico de Ayer", which was written by Tite Curet Alonso.-Track listing:# "Vamos a Reir Un Poco" - 7:35...
(1976) - ComediaComedia (Album)Comedia is the third solo album by Héctor Lavoe, It was released on 1978 under the label of Fania Records.It's famous for the song "El Cantante", which was written by Rubén Blades.-Track listing:# "El Cantante" – 10:24# "Comedia" - 3:29...
(1978) - Feliz NavidadFeliz Navidad (Héctor Lavoe album)Feliz Navidad is the fourth solo album by Héctor Lavoe, with the contribution of Daniel Santos and Yomo ToroIt was released on 1979, under the label of Fania Records, and Johnny Pacheco was the Recording Director.-Track listing:# "Monserrate" - 3:23...
(1979) (with Daniel SantosDaniel Santos (singer)Daniel Santos was a singer and composer of boleros, and an overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, including guaracha, plena and rumba...
& Yomo ToroYomo ToroVictor Guillermo Toro is a guitarist and one of Puerto Rico's most famous cuatro players...
) - Recordando a Felipe PirelaRecordando a Felipe PirelaRecordando a Felipe Pirela is the fifth solo album by Héctor Lavoe. It was released on 1979 under the label of Fania Records, and was produced by Willie Colón.-Track listing:# "Sombras Nada Más" - 4:06# "Vieja Carta" - 2:56# "El Infierno" - 4:53...
(1979) - El SabioEl SabioEl Sabio is the sixth solo album by Héctor Lavoe. It was released on 1980 under the label of Fania Records, and was produced by Willie Colón...
(1980) - Que SentimientoQue SentimientoQue Sentimiento is the seventh solo album by Héctor Lavoe, It was released on 1981 under the label of Fania Records. It's the first of his solo albums to be produced by him.-Track listing:# "Amor Soñado" - 5:35# "Lo Dejé Llorando" - 4:44...
(1981) - ReventoReventoRevento is the eight solo album by Héctor Lavoe, It was released on 1985 under the label of Fania Records. It was produced by Jerry Masucci and Puchi Lavoe.-Track listing:# "De que tamaño" - 3:33# "La Vida es bonita" - 4:11...
(1985) - Strikes Back (1987)
Posthumous Albums
- The Master & The Protege with Van Lester (1993)
- Live! (1997)
- Tu Bien Lo Sabes* (With Lavoe's never before released song "Tu Bien Lo Sabes") (2001)
- Mi Regreso: Hector Lavoe Live at Club Borinquen (2005)
With Tito Puente
- Homenaje a Beny Moré Vol. 2 (1979) song: "Donde Estabas Tú"
- Homenaje a Beny Moré Vol. 3 (1985) song: "Tumba Tumbador"
The Fania All Stars
- Live at the Red Garter Vol.2 (1967) song: "Noche" with Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Ismael Miranda, & Adalberto SantiagoAdalberto SantiagoAdalberto Santiago is a world famous salsa singer.He was born in barrio Pozas of Ciales, Puerto Rico. Adalberto's relaxed and flawless lead vocals are amongst the best in salsa, and for over two decades he has sessioned as a coro singer on countless New York recordings. His early influences...
- Live At The Cheetah Vol. 1 (1972) song: "Quítate Tu" with: Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colon and Johnny Pacheco.
- Live At The Cheetah Vol. 2 (1972) song: "Que Barbaridad" with Ismael Miranda.
- Fania All Stars: Our Latin Thing-Soundtrack (1972) song: "Quítate Tu" with: Adalberto SantiagoAdalberto SantiagoAdalberto Santiago is a world famous salsa singer.He was born in barrio Pozas of Ciales, Puerto Rico. Adalberto's relaxed and flawless lead vocals are amongst the best in salsa, and for over two decades he has sessioned as a coro singer on countless New York recordings. His early influences...
, Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Santos Colon and Johnny Pacheco. - Fania All Stars Live at Yankee Stadium Vol. 1*(1975) song: "Mi Gente" recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente ColiseumRoberto Clemente ColiseumThe Roberto Clemente Coliseum is a sporting events and concert arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.It was, for many years, Puerto Rico's largest indoor event facility, and it continues being one of the largest....
, San Juan Puerto Rico 1974. - Fania All Stars Live at Yankee Stadium Vol. 2* (1975) song: "Congo Bongo" with Cheo Feliciano. Recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan Puerto Rico 1974.*One of the 100 most important recordings of the 20 century by the U.S. Congress Library.
- Salsa, Original Motion Picture Sound Track Recording (1976) song: "Mi Gente" recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan Puerto Rico 1974.
- Tribute To Tito RodríguezTito RodriguezTito Rodríguez was a popular 1950s and 1960s Puerto Rican singer and bandleader. He is known by many fans as "El Inolvidable" , a moniker based on his most popular interpretation, a song written by composer Julio Gutierrez.-Early years:Rodríguez , born in Santurce, Puerto Rico,...
(1976) songs: "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando" and "Vuela La Paloma" with Santos Colon, Ismael Quintana, Ismael Miranda, Justo Betancourt, Bobby Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez & Cheo Feliciano. - Fania All Stars Live (1978) song: "Saca Tu Mujer" with Ismael Quintana, Santos Colon, Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Celia Cruz & Justo Betancourt) Recorded Live at Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, New York, United States. - Habana Jam (1979) song: "Mi Gente / Barbarazo" with Wilfrido Vargas. Recorded Live at Karl Marx Theater, La Habana CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, March 3, 1979. - Commitment (1980) song: "Ublabadu".
- Latin Connection (1981) song: "Semilla de Amor".
- Lo Que Pide La Gente (1984) songs: "El Rey De La Puntualidad", "Por Eso Yo Canto Salsa" and "Usando El Coco" with Cali Aleman, Ismael Quintana, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto SantiagoAdalberto SantiagoAdalberto Santiago is a world famous salsa singer.He was born in barrio Pozas of Ciales, Puerto Rico. Adalberto's relaxed and flawless lead vocals are amongst the best in salsa, and for over two decades he has sessioned as a coro singer on countless New York recordings. His early influences...
, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez & Celia Cruz. - Viva La Charanga (1986) songs: "Me Voy Pa’ Morón", "Isla Del Encanto" & "Guajira Con Tumbao" with Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez and Cali Aleman.
- Bamboleo (1988) song: "Siento".
Lavoe also sang chorus on three songs of Mon Rivera
Mon Rivera
Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians , namely Monserrate Rivera Alers and his oldest son, Efraín Rivera Castillo Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians (both born in Mayagüez), namely Monserrate Rivera Alers (originally...
's album with Willie Colón, "Se Chavó El Vecindario / There Goes The Neighborhood" (1974), and in the song "Las Cadenas de Chuíto" on Jesús Sanchez Erazo's album "Música Jíbara para las Navidades" (1978, re-released in 2000)
Films
- Fania All Stars: Our Latin Thing
- Fania All Stars: Salsa
- Celia CruzCelia CruzCelia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
with the Fania All Stars Live In Africa. Recorded live at KinshasaKinshasaKinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, ZaireZaireThe Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
as part of the concerts of "The Rumble in the JungleThe Rumble in the JungleThe Rumble in the Jungle was a historic boxing event that took place on October 30, 1974, in the Mai 20 Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire . It pitted then world Heavyweight champion George Foreman against former world champion and challenger Muhammad Ali...
" fight between Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
& George ForemanGeorge ForemanGeorge Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
. - El CantanteEl CantanteEl Cantante is a 2006 American film released in the United States on August 3, 2007. The biopic stars singer Marc Anthony and actress-singer Jennifer Lopez . The film is based on the life story of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe...
External links
- Fania Records Official Site
- Hector Lavoe Official Site
- Hector Lavoe at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Hector Lavoe at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- August 2004 New York Times article on Hector's legacy and biographical film
See also
- List of Famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican songwriters
- Music of Puerto RicoMusic of Puerto RicoThe music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...