finetune artist: Hector Lavoe

b. Hctor Prez, 30 September 1946, Ponce, Puerto Rico, d. 29 June 1993. Lavoe is known as "El Cantante" (The Singer), after the title of the biographical song Rubn Blades composed for his 1978 Comedia. Lavoe's high-nasal voice and style of phrasing are unmistakable, and his often witty, sometimes risqu, ad-libbed anecdotes became renowned. Hctor was heavily influenced by his father, Luis Prez, who sang and played guitar with local bands and trios. When he was six-years-old, Lavoe stood by the radio and sang along with Chu¡to el de Bayam¢n (Jes£s Sanchez Erazo), who was one of the greats of jibaro music, the country music of Puerto Rico. He received tuition from his father and attended the Free School of Music in Ponce, where he met Papo Lucca and began his longstanding friendship with Jos Febles. At the age of 14, Hctor sang professionally with a 10-piece band in a local club. After arriving in New York, USA in May 1963, he was hired to perform with a sextet. This was followed by stints with Orchestra New Yorker and Kako. Lavoe met Willie Col¢n in June 1966 and became the lead singer with his two trombone band. Their partnership was highly successful, and between 1967 and 1975, Lavoe sang on 12 of Col¢n's albums.

Listen to Hector Lavoe at Finetune.

(1993) Homenaje a Hector Lavoe

Azucar Negra
El Todopoderoso
La Fama
El Me Mintio