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Thursday, April 6, 2017

E is for Gloria Estefan




Lines of Inspiration

 Melodious expressions, Enduring Truisms

E

Gloria Estefan

“At night when you turn off all the lights…”


Singer/Songwriter:  Gloria Estefan

The Artist/Band: Closely associated with Miami Sound Machine (and Solo Artist Sensation)

Known as the “Queen of Latin Pop”, Gloria and her family escaped the turmoil of the Cuban revolution for the tranquil beaches of Florida, USA.  After a fairly secluded childhood, Gloria met a Bacardi salesman by the name of Emilio Estefan, who also happened to lead the band that would later (with the addition of Gloria’s contralto vocals and exhaustive energy) be called Miami Sound Machine.  She ended up marrying her “first and only boyfriend” Emilio, and along with the band, enjoyed instant and lasting success as premier Latin Pop artists.  In addition to two children, Gloria’s accomplishments and accolades include: Winner of seven Grammy awards, a star on Hollywood (as well as Las Vegas) Walk of Fame, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contribution to music, and being inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.  She is (reportedly) the most successful crossover Latin performer to date, and has written two picture books for children.

So, how about that line? Does it call to mind a memory? Are you familiar with the song or band? Did it get your feet tapping to the beat?

There’s a whole lotta blogging going on right here!

9 comments:

  1. Hi Diedre - for some reason she sticks in my memory bank as too their music ... and great she's written two picture books - keeps herself busy ...

    Cheers Hilary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/e-is-for-extinct-animals-and-endangered.html

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    1. Hi Hilary!

      Yes, Gloria is extremely vivacious ;-) I was not too surprised she'd written books for her children, as she and her husband are doting parents.

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  2. Hi, diedre!

    This piece on Gloria Estefan is a delightful surprise because, coincidentally, Gloria will be singing in my April 12 post, her first appearance on SDMM. I recall the popularity of Gloria and her Miami Sound Machine band in the late 80s when their "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" song was hot on the chart and their video was playing on MTV/VH1. The vid was heavily requested by viewers of the MTV format station where I worked at the time. The song lyrics remind us that good music, especially music with a dance beat, is irresistible. It gets under your skin. There's no hiding from it, even if you go to bed and pull the covers over your head. Indeed, I often find it hard to get to sleep at night because favorite songs keep playing in my head.

    Thank you for shining the spotlight on Gloria Estefan on E Day, dear friend diedre. Have a good one and I'll be back tomorrow!

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    1. Hi Shady!

      Well, beans. I should have checked with you I guess. But knowing you, I'm sure your presentation will surpass anything I could do ;-) I shall mark the 12th on my calendar as if it were a concert; which, essentially, it will be!
      MTV/VH1 - those were the days, weren't they? Not that they've disappeared, there are just so many easier, on-demand formats now.
      Thanks so much for coming 'round, my friend!

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  3. The rhythm 'got' everyone that heard it - felt it even. I wasn't aware of her background before reading this. Really interesting and for me, quite surprising.

    Last Easter day in Amble Bay

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  4. The rhythm gets me, every time! ☺ Gloria Estefan is a great talent and also a brave lady. Did you know she suffered a severe back injury in 1990 from a bus crash? The story of her recovery was so inspirational! Here's the LINK, if you're interested. I wonder what she' up to these days?...Did a Google search: She and Emilio have just opened a restaurant.

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    1. Hi Debbie!

      Yes, when I heard of the accident I couldn't imagine how she'd ever be able to keep up that energetic pace, but she hardly seems phased ;-)
      A restaurant? How cool!

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  5. Gloria Estefan did some nice catchy music. This song does make me groove. "At night when you turn off all the lights" reminds me of one of my first blogs posts where I talked about walking in the dark. I still like to walk around the house at night without turning on lights--I think I have pretty good night vision.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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