Willy Chirino
- Latin
- salsa
- merengue
- Singer
- songwriter
- musician
- record producer
- Sony
- Latinum
Willy Chirino (born April 5, 1947, in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, Cuba) is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Early life
Following the communist revolution in Cuba, Chirino came to the United States in 1960 as part of Operation Peter Pan, designed to save children who were being abducted by the new communist regime. This U.S. government-sponsored program, in conjunction with the Catholic Welfare Bureau, provided refuge to approximately 14,000 Cuban children who were cared for in U.S. foster homes until their parents could flee Cuba and arrive in the U.S. Chirino later recorded a song, "Nuestro Día Ya Viene Llegando" ("Our Day is Coming"), loosely based on his experiences as a refugee from communism. The song has become something of an anthem for Cuban exiles everywhere.[citation needed]
Career
Chirino began his artistic career in Miami, releasing his first album in 1974. Since then, he has recorded over 20 albums, several of which have attained platinum and gold status. In 2006, his album "Son del Alma", won a Grammy for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. As founder of the Willy Chirino Foundation, his philanthropic efforts have been recognized by UNICEF and the Department of State. He celebrated his 35th anniversary in music with his latest released album "Willy Chirino Live-35th Anniversary" ("Willy Chirino En Vivo-35 Aniversario"), a CD/DVD combo of the concert. This album brought him his first nomination for Best Salsa Album at the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. Most recently, Chirino and his wife, singer-songwriter Lissette Álvarez, released their first album together, Amarraditos (Bound to One Another). The CD includes a potpourri of classic Spanish-language love songs. Chirino's album, "Pa'lante", was released at spring 2008, after which he launched a world tour. In 2011, when asked of how his recordings of My Beatles Heart, he said that Sony scrutinized every single one of his songs and their versions because they consider the songs by The Beatles as one of their most precious treasures, and wanted to make sure they were being used in a rightful manner.
In 2014, Chirino received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas for his music career.[1]
Personal life
His first marriage to Olga Maria Rodriguez and bore three daughters: Angie, Olga Maria and Jessica. He later married Lissette Álvarez and had three more children: Nicolle, Alana, and Gianfranco. He has three grandchildren, Elis Regina, Andres and Dashiel. He and his wife support the Cuban dissident movement, Yo No Coopero Con La Dictadura (I Don't Cooperate with the Dictatorship).[citation needed]
Discography
- 1974: One Man Alone
- 1975: Chirino
- 1976: Chirino 3
- 1977: ¿Quién Salvó la Ciudad?
- 1978: Evolución
- 1979: Come into My Music
- 1980: Diferente
- 1981: La Salsa y Yo
- 1982: Chirinísimo
- 1983: Subiendo
- 1985: 14 Éxitos
- 1985: Zarabanda
- 1988: Amándote
- 1989: Lo que Está Pa' Ti
- 1990: Acuarela del Caribe
- 1991: Oxígeno
- 1992: Un Tipo Típico y Sus Éxitos
- 1992: Mis Primeros Éxitos
- 1993: South Beach
- 1994: Oro Salsero: 20 Éxitos
- 1994: Brillantes
- 1995: Asere
- 1996: Antología Tropical
- 1997: Baila Conmigo
- 1997: Oro Salsero: 10 Éxitos Vol. 1
- 1998: Oro Salsero: 10 Éxitos Vol. 2
- 1998: Cuba Libre
- 1999: 20th Anniversary
- 2000: Greatest Hits
- 2000: Soy
- 2001: Afro-Disiac
- 2002: 15 Éxitos
- 2003: Serie Azul Tropical
- 2004: Son del Alma
- 2005: Cubanísimo
- 2005: 20 Éxitos Originales
- 2006: En Vivo: 35° Aniversario
- 2007: Amarraditos
- 2007: Lo Esencial
- 2007: Tesoros de Colección
- 2008: Pa' Lante
- 2008: Grandes Éxitos en Vivo
- 2011: My Beatles Heart
- 2011: Mis Favoritas
- 2012: Llegó la Navidad
- 2013: Soy... I Am: Mis Canciones – My Songs
- 2014: Serie Platino
- 2018: Navidad en Familia
References
- ^ "Willy Chirino receives award of a lifetime at the Latin GRAMMYs". Retrieved January 30, 2015.
External links
- Willy Chirino at Twitter
- v
- t
- e
- 2004: Antonio Aguilar / Roberto Carlos / Willie Colón / José José / Mercedes Sosa
- 2005: Rocío Dúrcal / Generoso Jiménez / Jorge Ben Jor / Sérgio Mendes / Johnny Pacheco / Sandro
- 2006: León Gieco / Graciela / César Camargo Mariano / Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz / Paloma San Basilio / Alberto Vázquez / Johnny Ventura
- 2007: Alberto Cortez / Lucho Gatica / Olga Guillot / Os Paralamas do Sucesso / Los Tigres del Norte / Chavela Vargas
- 2008: Vikki Carr / Cheo Feliciano / Astrud Gilberto / Angélica María / María Dolores Pradera / Estela Raval
- 2009: Cándido Camero / Beth Carvalho / Charly García / Tania Libertad / Marco Antonio Muñiz / Juan Romero
- 2010: João Donato / Las Hermanas Márquez / Armando Manzanero / Joseíto Mateo / Jorge Oñate / Susana Rinaldi
- 2011: Joe Arroyo / Gal Costa / José Feliciano / Álex Lora / Les Luthiers / Rubén Rada / Linda Ronstadt
- 2012: Luz Casal / Leo Dan / Rita Moreno / Milton Nascimento / Daniela Romo / Poncho Sanchez / Toquinho
- 2013: Oscar D'León / Juan Formell / Roberto Menescal / Totó la Momposina / Palito Ortega / Eddie Palmieri / Miguel Ríos
- 2014: Willy Chirino / César Costa / Carlos do Carmo / Dúo Dinámico / Los Lobos / Valeria Lynch / Ney Matogrosso
- 2015: Gato Barbieri / Ana Belén / Ángela Carrasco / Djavan / El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico / Víctor Manuel / Pablo Milanés
- 2016: El Consorcio / Eugenia León / Ricardo Montaner / Ednita Nazario / Piero
- 2017: Lucecita Benítez / João Bosco / Ilan Chester / Víctor Heredia / Los del Río / Guadalupe Pineda / Cuco Valoy
- 2018: Erasmo Carlos / Dyango / Andy Montañez / José María Napoleón / Chucho Valdés / Wilfrido Vargas / Yuri
- 2019: Eva Ayllón / Joan Baez / José Cid / Lupita D'Alessio / Hugo Fattoruso / Pimpinela / Omara Portuondo / José Luis Rodríguez
2020- 2021: Martinho da Vila / Emmanuel / Pete Escovedo / Sheila E. / Fito Páez / Milly Quezada / Joaquín Sabina / Gilberto Santa Rosa
- 2022: Rosario Flores / Myriam Hernández / Rita Lee / Amanda Miguel / Yordano
- 2023: Carmen Linares / Manuel Mijares / Arturo Sandoval / Simone / Soda Stereo / Ana Torroja
- 2024: Albita / Lolita Flores / Alejandro Lerner / Los Ángeles Azules / Draco Rosa / Lulu Santos