by Antonio Mejías-Rentas
Juan Luis Guerra
HIGH ROLLER: Juan Luis Guerra followed an emotional tribute by his peers by winning fi ve Latin Grammy awards last week in Las Vegas.
The Dominican singer songwriter took all the awards for which he was nominated and swept the top three categories of Recording’ Album and Song of the Year.
He was recognized for La llave de mi corazón, an album whose title track was a radio hit. The track marked a signifi cant comeback for the veteran artist. It was also named Best Tropical Song. The album was also chosen in the Merengue category.
“It’s my most romantic album’”, said Guerra said.
“They are all love songs. inspired by my love for my wife Nora.” La llave de ml corazón won a sixth Grammy in the engineering category.
The Nov. 8 ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Resort—the fi rst time in eight years it was held in Las Vegas—was broadcast nationally by Univisión.
A day before, the Latin Recording Academy held several tributes to veteran artists’ including the Person of the Year dinner for Guerra.
Singers from all musical genres sang many of the best known compositions by the artist, who was also recognized for his charity work.
After performances by Ricky Martin’ Lucero and Carlos Vives, among others, Panamanian singer songwriter Ruben Blades handed Guerra his award.
I’m honored to be your friend and your colleague’” said Blades’ who currently serves as his country’s Minister of Tourism.
Ricky Martin
Also on Nov. 7, the Latin Academy geve its Lifetime Achievement and Trustees Awards to nine distinguished recording artists, most with careers that span several decades.
Launching a week full of related Latin Grammy activities was a fundraiser dinner and auction at the Nov. 6 Las Vegas premiere of Love in the Time of Cholera for the Pies Descalzos Foundation created by Shekira.
The Colombian singer-songwriter performed her songs from the film’s soundtrack, including one, Pienso en ti, chosen by director Mike Newell.
“It’s a song I wrote when I was 17 and I think it symbolizes the longing of a love’” she said The fi lm is based on the Gabriel García Marquez novel El amor en los tiempos del cólera.
Shakira said she was encouraged by the Colombian Nobel laureate to perform in the fi lm, which opens theatrically in the United States this week.
Hispanic Link.
