GLORIA ESTEFAN AND THE MIAMI SOUND MACHINE
Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine are one of those artists that you’re going to hear more than just one great song from here on The Beat.
Today we take you back for a great concert along with detailed information and all the music and videos you can handle from this amazing artist and group.
ABOUT GLORIA ESTEFAN AND THE MIAMI SOUND MACHINE
Miami Sound Machine are an American band of Latin-influenced music featuring the vocals of Cuban-born recording artist Gloria Fajardo (later Gloria Estefan). The band was established in 1975 originally as Miami Latin Boys by Emilio Estefan Jr. and became very successful after joining with Gloria Fajardo (Estefan) in 1977.
The band had a number of albums and a string of hit singles until 1989. The band’s 1985 album Primitive Love credited the band whereas their follow-up album Let It Loose in 1987 adopted the name Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. The latter was also repackaged as Anything For You with new cover art in the international release in Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, starting in October 1988 through early 1989. In 1989, the group’s name was no longer included on CD or album products, and Estefan continued as a solo artist. The Miami Sound Machine continues to perform with Estefan on all her tours and live performances, and appeared on most of Estefan’s recordings throughout her career.
Following a massive world tour that lasted over a year (mid 1985-late 1986), tensions and rifts between original core members and zealous new members had taken their toll. Following that tour, both original MSM guitarist Wesley B. Wright and founding bassist Juan Marcos Avila had left the group, along with keyboardist Roger Fisher. Emilio was now taking a behind-the-scenes producer role and no longer performing live. What was left of the current MSM, plus new members (Jorgé “George” Casas on bass, Clay Ostwald on keyboards, and guitarist John DeFaria), returned to the studio in early 1987. With only one other core member, “Kiki” Garcia, remaining, Gloria Estefan was given top billing and the band’s name was changed to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine to jump on the sudden success of Gloria’s unique vocal ability and bubbly personality on TV.
In late 1987, they released their next album, Let It Loose, and it went multi-platinum, with three million copies sold in the US alone. It featured the hits “Anything for You” reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, “1-2-3” making it to number 3, “Betcha Say That” to number 36, “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” to number 5, and “Can’t Stay Away from You” to number 6. “Can’t Stay Away from You”, “Anything for You” and “1-2-3” were all top charting singles on the Adult Contemporary hits as well.
Another world tour began and the group traveled for the first time to Europe, South America and an even more extensive tour in the United States, culminating in a finale with massive sold-out concert in their hometown of Miami, Florida, which was recorded and later sold on VHS. By 1988, founding member “Kiki” Garcia quit. With no other core members remaining other than Gloria herself, the “Miami Sound Machine” moniker was to be used from that point on for concerts and live performances only.
In 1988, after the worldwide chart success of single “Anything for You”, her Let it Loose album was repackaged overseas as Anything for You. It became the band’s first UK number 1 album, selling over a million copies. It was the biggest selling album of the year in The Netherlands, staying at number 1 for 22 weeks. The album also took top honors in Australia and Canada, launching Gloria Estefan to superstar status.
By the end of 1988, none of the originating members of the group that once was Miami Sound Machine were performing with Estefan. A new rhythm section was put in place, and the horn section was expanded. The band continues to perform with Gloria, enjoying an amazing run of over 30 years together.
In March 1990, Gloria broke her back in a horrific tour bus accident. She made her comeback in March 1991 with a new world tour and album called Into The Light.
Although there have been changes in personnel, three members (Jorge Casas, Clay Ostwald and Teddy Mulet) have performed with Estefan since 1986. The current rhythm section has been in place since 1992, adding Olbin Burgos (drums) and Edwin Bonilla (percussion). Seven members of the Miami Sound Machine lineage now appear in the Broadway show “On Your Feet” in New York City: Jorge Casas, Clay Ostwald, Teddy Mulet, Olbin Burgos, Edwin Bonilla, Tom Timko and David Fernandez.
An attempt was made to create a shoot-off “Miami Sound Machine” in 2002 with a new eponymous album and a completely different lineup consisting of Lorena Pinot, Sohanny Gross and Carla Ramirez, with Emilio Estefan producing the album. Without Gloria’s signature vocals or any real connection to the MSM musicians, the new project was only met with a moderate success in a few select European countries and failed to chart significantly in the United States.
A jukebox musical, On Your Feet!, about the life of Gloria and Emilio Estefan premiered on Broadway November 5, 2015. Gloria and Emilio Estefan live in Miami and have two grown children both active in the entertainment industry.
Gustavo Lezcano, Havana-born harmonica player and longtime member of Miami Sound Machine, died on May 28, 2014, at the age of 59.
Gloria Estefan has won seven Grammy Awards and also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Las Vegas Walk of Fame. In 2015, she was granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barak Obama for her contributions to American music. Estefan also won an MTV Video Music Award, and two ACE Awards. She was honored with the American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as being named BMI Songwriter of the Year. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has received multiple Billboard Awards. She is also on the list of VH1 top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and in Billboard’s Top 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time. Estefan was the first singer to have a Diamond album in Spain, for sales of more than a million copies.
Combined with Miami Sound Machine, Gloria has sold over 115 million records around the world with over 31 million of those sales here in the U.S.
Finally, Gloria and Emilio are also minority stake holders in the Miami Dolpiins NFL football team along with Marc Anthony and Jimmy Buffett.
Enjoy Gloria and the Miami Sound Machine’s music videos, interviews, more concerts and music on demand below
Source: WikiPedia and The Beat Staff
For more information about Gloria, Emilio and details on her Foundation, visit her and Emilio online at http://www.estefan.com/
Find Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine playing in many of the mixes we feature each weekend on our Friday Night Jams and Saturday Night Live Ain’t No Jive Chicago Dance Party. Click here for mixes
