Gloria Estefan
“The Rythm is gonna get you….” by F&EG Staff -9/2010-
Her Life, Charities and Children’s Books by Fund & Edutain Guide Staff including excerpts and interviews from Cubanet.org, Tune Core, Washington Post, Business Wire, et.al
The rhythm is gonna get you…not only with her soulful, soothing voice and down-to-earth lyrics, but with Gloria Estefan’s many humanitarian agendas. Among Gloria’s repertoire of passions is the devotion to her family, charities and writing Childrens books.
Through her entire music career, with over 70 million albums sold across the globe, Estefan has remained a beloved icon in the eyes of her fans. Known as the most successful crossover performer of all time, Gloria Estefan is a multi-talented singer/songwriter, entertainer and award winning author of children’s books. She has inspired endless souls with her music and personal accolades.
Estefan’s Family History
At 2 years old Gloria Maria Fajardo fled with her family from Cuba to Miami. In Cuba, her mother Gloria was a school teacher and father Jose a Cuban volleyball star, policeman and body guard to Cuba leader Fulgencio Batista,Estefan sees some improvement in her Cuban birthland, though she wishes for the day that “Castro is gone for good… Raul is a more open-minded guy than Fidel,” said Estefan. “Raul lives a more capitalistic lifestyle…and he has been somewhat more open with the press and allowing the students to speak up. But the reality is..he won’t do much until Fidel is gone.”( Cubanet.org)
After working as a customs translator at the airport and graduating from the University of Miami with a BA degree in Psychology, Estefan pursued her singing career and joined a band called ‘Miami Sound Machine.’
Around 1975, at the beginning of her singing career, Gloria met her now husband, Emillio Estefan, a musician who played keyboards in the same band that Gloria sang. They married in 1978 and have two children, son Nyib and daughter Emily Marie who are the number one priorities in their lives. Gloria has put her career on the back burner many times for her family.
“Nuestra Glorita” (Our Gloria)… is how Estefan is fondly referred to today where she still resides in Miami with her family.
The Accident
Considered to be the “The Latin Queen of music, Gloria Estefan has risen to the top and fallen all the way down. But she has conquered her fears and embraced her life in the face of devastation and pain.
It was an evening in 1990, the night right after she received an award for 25 million in album sales. A devastating bus accident broke her back and immediately changed Estefan’s life with possible paralysis amongst physical challenges.
“I could not feel my legs, and I knew that I was paralysed. For me, this was a premonition of my worst fate proved right. When I was a child, I always ran up the stairs two at a time, and when I reached the top I would say to myself, one day I won’t be able to do this because like my father I will lose the use of my body.”
“Now I knew it had happened. For months afterwards I was locked back in myself, just as I had been when I was a child. But also part of my premonition had always been, strangely, that I would lose my body but in the end it would be all right.” ( Cubanet.org)
“Having experienced paralysis firsthand 16 years ago I feel especially fortunate to have had a positive outcome despite a very negative prognosis. I vowed that I would do whatever was in my power to assist those already on their way to finding a cure.
One might believe that Estefan ultimately gained insight and passion from her debilitating 1990 accident, however she has adamantly attributed her healing to the love from her fans and the strength of prayer. Her motto, she says, is to always look forward and look ahead. And that’s why I chose to record that song, because I really loved the message.
Noelle…and the Children Books
Estefan enjoys her work immmensely as a writer of children’s books and her real life dog ‘Noelle’ takes the ‘bow wow’ as the main character in her stories. Estefan writes children’s books because she says she wants to inspire and teach children in a positive way and believes she can do this more effectively through the use of entertainment through her books.
Two of her best sellers, ‘Noelle’s Treasure Tale’ and ‘The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog’ have fun story lines, colorful illustrations by Michael Garland and important messages for the young reader to follow in Spanish or English. Her books include a CD that tells the story and includes a song by the author herself. “At my core that’s what I am… a writer,” says Estefan. ( ITunes Interview)
Humanitarian Endeavors
Gloria Estefan has been described by many as a wonderful and amazing woman filled with great inspiration. She has supported and donated to many different charities. ‘The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Human Clinical Trials Program recently honored the Estefans for their one million dollar donation to the program.
“Ever since I was a little girl, I felt that I wanted to be of service here on the earth… I felt that was my job somehow…and whatever I was going to do, I was going to find a way to do that….as I got a larger audience…a broader audience worldwide, and more and more people were listening to me… it became important for me to share that thought.” ( ITunes Interview)
According to Estefan, she has taken a back seat to being the center of attention while on tour. “I’ve stepped up a lot of my charity work. This year, the five concerts I did were all for charity: different ones and my own foundation. So, that’s becoming a bigger and bigger part of my life…as I wanted it to be. And I just keep growing and evolving.”
stefan is also a partner/contributor to the Celebrity Online Music Scholarship program that rewards and assists outstanding students who demonstrate superiority in their studies at Berkleemusic.com. A division of Berklee College of Music, Berkleemusic.com offers world-wide continuing education. The accredited program, taught by the college’s world-renowned faculty, offers a list of eighty-five online courses and certificate programs in guitar, music production, music business, songwriting, and music theory.
Berklee College of Music presented Estefan with an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree in 2007.
According to her audience, while attending the “Life, Art and Spirituality” lecture at Graham Center of Florida International University, Gloria Estefan is a wonderful speaker… kind and sincere with a sense of humor. After the lecture many listeners commented that they were “blown away” by Estefan as she spoke about the “darker days” of her life and the power of prayer, and how different this world would be if we were to stop the violence, and the hating, and the wars between us.
In faith and compassion to her culture, Estefan has also been supportive to it’s political prisoner’s and their families. On March 25, 2010, in Miami, Florida, Estefan organized a march in honor of the “The Ladies in White.” These ladies are a group of Cuban wives and mothers, of 75 political prisoners who were arrested 7 years ago as independent journalists and democracy advocates.
Dressed in white, Estefan marched with thousands of attendees and spoke about the brutal attack in Havana, Cuba against “The Ladies in White” who were demonstrating in a peaceful manner. Estefan message was ultimately encouraging global peace and freedom.
Music Accomplishments
Estefan began her singing career in 1975 with her band, the Miami Sound Machine. She started with several Spanish-language albums and later releasing songs in English. Estefan soon acquired international fame after her band recorded the album “Primitive Love”, including the popular single “Bad Boys,” “Conga” and “Anything for you.”
At center stage in 1987, Gloria’s top album, “Let it Loose” included, pop hits like “Betcha Say That” and her well known “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.” With her husband Emilio Estefan as her producer and promoter, she was known as America’s leading Latin recording artist and referred to as “The Queen of Latin Pop.”
Ironically her big hit song, “Get on Your Feet” recorded in 1989, was not only a premonition but later an inspiration for healing after her serious bus accident in 1990. And the “Coming Out of the Dark” single was her thank-you song, to her fans, for their love and support while she healed from her injuries.
The ‘Latin Queen’ came back with flying colors in 1993, winning a Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Album. Estefan embraced the 21st century with her Latin roots of Spanish-language albums like Alma Carribena (2000 — in English, “Caribbean Soul”) and 90 Millas ( Miles,” 2007).
Estefan has won three Grammy Awards and one Latin Grammy as a solo artist. Her other awards include BMI Songwriter of the Year, the American Music Awards, Lifetime Achievement honor, and the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor. She is a New York Times best selling author and an acclaimed actress. Her latest release, a new CD called 90 Millas is a tribute to her Cuban heritage and includes some of the great Latin musicians of our time.
Gloria Estefan continues to support many causes and charities including those benefiting women, families and her Cuban heritage. In support of charity efforts for Haiti, she is currently working with stars including Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira on a Latin remake of Michael Jackson’s ‘We Are the World.’
