Do you like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra? Then perhaps you will enjoy the music of these three Spanish and Latin American singers. Latino crooners, who are sometimes called cantantes de boleros, are very famous across the Spanish-speaking world, and their lyrics are often a very good resource to practice your Spanish and learn new vocabulary (particularly about love, ¡oh, el amor!).
There are more than three notable crooners singing in Spanish, so this list is not at all exhaustive and you should read it as an invitation to explore and discover tu artista favorito.
Bio bits: Andy Russell was born in Los Angeles in a family of Mexican origins. He was the great Spanish- speaking, American crooner of the fourties and fifties. He could sing in Spanish and English with the same style and grace as Frank Sinatra. He created a style, triumphed in Hollywood and became a model for other Spanish singers wishing to engage large audiences.
Greatest hits: Magic is the Moonlight/Te Quiero, Dijiste (Muñequita Linda); Amor (Love); Bésame mucho (Kiss me generously)
Trivia: On his grave marker the song title of one of the biggest hits of his career is inscribed: “Amor.”
Lucho Gatica, “el terciopelo ajado del bolero” according to writer Pedro Lemebel
Bio bits: Luis Enrique Gatica Silva, AKA Lucho Gatica (Rancagua, Chile, August 11, 1928), is a famous Chilean bolero singer and actor. He has launched more than 90 recordings since the beginning of his career in 1950. He is widely known in Latin America and continues to make public appearances as a guest in shows and TV programmes.
Greatest hits: El reloj (The clock); Cuando llega la noche (When the night comes); Qué será (Whatever will be)
Trivia: In 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording.
Julio Iglesias, Enrique’s father
Bio bits: Born in Madrid, he lived in Miami for many years and is now the owner of Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic. He has sold more than 300 million records of his 80 albums in 14 different languages. He has two Guiness Records: Best selling world artist in more than one language and Best selling Latin artist in the world.
Greatest hits: Al final, la vida sigue igual (In the end, life goes on the same); Soy un truhán, soy un señor (I’m a trump, I’m a gentleman); Ni te tengo ni te olvido (I don’t have you and don’t forget you)
Trivia: He has eight children and his first wife, Isabel Preysler, is currently dating the winner of 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature, Mario Vargas Llosa.
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Born in Buenos Aires, living in Barcelona, I mostly write about cultural topics in Spanish from Spain and Latin America.
Comments:
Michael Hanzuk:
Thank you so much for bringing back the time when men could actually sing and not just go off in tangents.
Mucho gracias