Hector Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe: El Cantante de los Cantantes
Karen Rodriguez
April 16, 2008
Florida International University
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe revolutionized the Latin salsa boom of the 1970s. He was a man born to sing and his passion for music led him on a remarkable journey of attaining endless dreams. Born Héctor Juan Perez Martinez on September 30, 1946 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, he lived a life full of achievements, setbacks, and tragedy that made a way for his life long addiction with cocaine, marijuana, and heroine. His drive to succeed in the music industry started in his early childhood years and was triggered by his idolization of famous Latin singers of the 30s and 40s like Daniel Santos, Jesús Sánchez Erazo, and the Puerto Rican sensation Ismael Rivera who he drew on for inspiration in his own work. Héctor, however, was unique to the Latin community because he had a certain charisma about him that drew on large crowds of followers and his apt way of creating new music with style made him “El Cantante de los Cantantes”; translated, the Singer of the Singers (Perez, 1999). Lavoe was born to Luis and Pachita Pérez in a very little town; he was only one of eight children of the couple. He was born to a family with a history of musical talent like his grandfather, Don Juan Martinez, who was known for his vocals that stirred as much conflict as passion. Pachita was also know for beautiful singing, his uncle was well known for playing an instrument in Ponce, and his father supported their household by playing music with local bands. Lavoe began attending music school as a child in Ponce in the public school called Juan Morel Campos, where he first learned to play the saxophone. However, when he was seventeen he dropped out of school against his parent’s wishes so he could follow a singing career in New York City. His father was specifically against Lavoe moving to New York because in earlier years they had lost their eldest son to a drug overdose
Karen Rodriguez
April 16, 2008
Florida International University
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe revolutionized the Latin salsa boom of the 1970s. He was a man born to sing and his passion for music led him on a remarkable journey of attaining endless dreams. Born Héctor Juan Perez Martinez on September 30, 1946 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, he lived a life full of achievements, setbacks, and tragedy that made a way for his life long addiction with cocaine, marijuana, and heroine. His drive to succeed in the music industry started in his early childhood years and was triggered by his idolization of famous Latin singers of the 30s and 40s like Daniel Santos, Jesús Sánchez Erazo, and the Puerto Rican sensation Ismael Rivera who he drew on for inspiration in his own work. Héctor, however, was unique to the Latin community because he had a certain charisma about him that drew on large crowds of followers and his apt way of creating new music with style made him “El Cantante de los Cantantes”; translated, the Singer of the Singers (Perez, 1999). Lavoe was born to Luis and Pachita Pérez in a very little town; he was only one of eight children of the couple. He was born to a family with a history of musical talent like his grandfather, Don Juan Martinez, who was known for his vocals that stirred as much conflict as passion. Pachita was also know for beautiful singing, his uncle was well known for playing an instrument in Ponce, and his father supported their household by playing music with local bands. Lavoe began attending music school as a child in Ponce in the public school called Juan Morel Campos, where he first learned to play the saxophone. However, when he was seventeen he dropped out of school against his parent’s wishes so he could follow a singing career in New York City. His father was specifically against Lavoe moving to New York because in earlier years they had lost their eldest son to a drug overdose
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