Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (September 30, 1946 – June 29, 1993), better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Widely regarded as one of salsa's most important and influential vocalists, Lavoe played a pivotal role in popularizing the genre throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. His charismatic persona and artistic vision propelled him to become one of the most successful Latin music artists of all time.

Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelo Abajo barrio of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce, known today as the Instituto de Música Juan Morel Campos and, inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo, developed an interest in music. He moved to New York City on May 3, 1963, at the age of sixteen. He was inspired early in life by his musically talented family. His grandfather, Don Juan Martínez, was a singer of controversial songs, which led to physical confrontations. His uncle was well known in Ponce as a tres player. Héctor was influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesús Sánchez Erazo, also known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón" - one of the island's most successful folk singers, and Daniel Santos. He moved permanently to New York on May 3, 1963, against his father's wishes, as an older brother had moved there and later died of a drug overdose. It would take many years before Héctor was able to reconcile with his father.

Arrival in New York City

Upon arriving in New York he was met by his sister Priscilla. The first thing that he did was to visit El Barrio, New York's "Spanish Harlem."

The album's success significantly transformed both Colón's and Lavoe's lives. In late 1970, Colón and Lavoe recorded the first of two Asalto Navideño albums, featuring Puerto Rican folk songs such as Ramito's jíbaro song "Patria y Amor", renamed "Canto a Borinquen", and original compositions.

Lavoe's lack of professionalism was often balanced by an affable onstage presence, very much resembling that of a stand-up comedian.

The Colón band had other major hits, such as "Calle Luna, Calle Sol", and the Santería-influenced “Aguanilé", a Pacheco song recorded in the studio by the band. "Mi Gente", was better known for a live version Lavoe recorded later with the Fania All Stars.

Lavoe goes solo

In 1973, Willie Colón stopped touring to focus on record production and other business enterprises. Lavoe was given the opportunity to become the bandleader of his own orchestra.

The Fania All-Stars recorded several of its tracks during live concerts. Lavoe was part of the group when the All-Stars returned to Yankee Stadium in 1975, where the band recorded a two volume production titled Live at Yankee Stadium. The event featured the top vocalists of Fania and Vaya Records. Lavoe was included in the group along with Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Justo Betancourt, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colón, and Celia Cruz. Lavoe recorded songs with the band in fifteen different productions, serving as vocalist on twenty-three songs. Besides recording songs with the band, Lavoe was also present in three movies filmed and produced by Fania Records; these were: Our Latin Thing, Salsa, and Celia Cruz with the Fania All Stars: Live in Africa. and that Lavoe's performance was much better than what he would accomplish with it.

  • In 1975, on his La Voz Album, Lavoe did a cover of Chappottin Y Sus Estrellas 1957 song “Rompe Saragüey”, which became a major success.
  • The Lavoe song "Bandolera" was a strong seller in Puerto Rico, despite vigorous protests from Puerto Rican feminists about its lyrics and soneos - Lavoe twice offers the song's subject a beating. based on Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén's poem "Sóngoro Cosongo", set to salsa music, was another major hit.
  • The controversial jíbaro song "Joven Contra Viejo" featured Lavoe and Daniel Santos settling their age-based differences on stage not without a heavy dose of humor and, yet again, Yomo Toro's cuatro music as a backdrop. Another major Christmas hit on Billboard top hits in the tropical genre in 1979 includes a song from singer/composer Miguel Poventud "Una Pena En La Navidad" from the same album titled Feliz Navidad.
  • Lavoe's final hit, "El Rey de la Puntualidad" (The King of Punctuality), is a humorous takeoff on Lavoe's constant tardiness and occasional absenteeism from shows. Lavoe followed the Santeria priest's advice and cut all communication with his family and friends for a period of two months. One year later, Héctor was scheduled to perform at the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, on the night of Saturday, June 25, 1988. Sales for the concert were poor, and promoter Rick Sostre decided to cancel the concert two hours before concert time. Héctor, defiant to the end, and knowing that it would be one of the last times he would perform in Puerto Rico, decided, against the promoter's wishes, to perform for the public, who had paid to see the concert.

On September 2, 1990, Héctor gave his last large, public performance with the Fania All Stars at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

On 29 June 1993, Héctor died at Saint Clare's Hospital (Manhattan) from a complication from AIDS.

Recognition

right|250px|thumb|[[Héctor Lavoe (statue)|Lavoe's statue in Paseo Tablado La Guancha, Ponce, Puerto Rico.]]

Lavoe's life has inspired two biographical films. The first, El Cantante, was produced by salsa artist Marc Anthony, who played Lavoe, and Jennifer Lopez as Hector's wife, Nilda (known as "Puchi" by close friends). Salsa singer La India also began production of her own biopic of Lavoe's life, titled The Singer, with actor and singer Raulito Carbonell in the lead role. Production was suspended in August 2008 after the director, Anthony Felton, reported that it was over budget. Carbonell noted that he would reconsider his involvement if production were to resume. The movie was eventually completed, in 2011, as "Lavoe: The Untold Story".

An Off-Broadway production based on Lavoe's life titled ¿Quién mató a Héctor Lavoe? (Who Killed Hector Lavoe?) was a success in the late 1990s. It starred singer Domingo Quiñones in the lead role. Carbonell's decision to distance himself from the film directed by Felton was the direct result of his involvement in a tour of Quien Mato a Héctor Lavoe? in Puerto Rico, and, depending upon negotiations, possibly Peru and Colombia. An urban tribute album was released in late 2007 performed by several reggaeton artists such as Don Omar which sampled Lavoe's voice.

In Ponce, he is recognized at the Park for the Illustrious Ponce Citizens. Lavoe was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

La Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex in his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico, honored Hector with a statue. The $60,000 statue is 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) tall, weighs 1 ton and portrays Lavoe with a microphone in his right hand and a pair of maracas in his left.

Tremont Avenue in the New York City's Bronx borough was renamed in his honor and remembrance.

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Lavoe at number 73 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Discography

Studio albums

As vocalist of the Willie Colón Orchestra

  • El Malo (1967)
  • The Hustler (1968)
  • Guisando (1969)
  • Cosa Nuestra (1970)
  • La Gran Fuga (1971)
  • Asalto Navideño (1971)
  • El Juicio (1972)
  • Lo Mato (1973)
  • Asalto Navideño, Vol. 2 (1973)
  • The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (1975)

As soloist

  • La Voz (1975)
  • De Ti Depende (1976)
  • Comedia (1978)
  • Recordando a Felipe Pirela (1979)
  • Feliz Navidad (1979) (with Daniel Santos & Yomo Toro)
  • El Sabio (1980)
  • Que Sentimiento (1981)
  • Vigilante (1983) (with Willie Colón)
  • Revento (1985)
  • Strikes Back (1987)
  • The Master & The Protege (1993), with Van Lester (posthumous album, completed with sound-alike Van Lester)

Other albums

With Tito Puente

  • Homenaje a Beny Moré, Vol. II (1979)
  • song: "Donde Estabas Tú"
  • Homenaje a Beny Moré, Vol. III (1985)
  • song: "Tumba Tumbador"

With the Fania All Stars

  • Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 2 (1968)
  • song: "Noche" with Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Ismael Miranda, & Adalberto Santiago.
  • Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 1 (1972)
  • song: "Quítate Tu" with: Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colon and Johnny Pacheco.
  • Live at the Cheetah, Vol. 2 (1972)
  • song: "Que Barbaridad" with Ismael Miranda.
  • Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa), Original Sound Track Recording (1972)
  • song: "Quítate Tu" with: Adalberto Santiago, Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Santos Colon and Johnny Pacheco.
  • Fania All Stars: Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 1 (1975)
  • song: "Mi Gente" recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico 1974.
  • Fania All Stars: Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. 2 (1975)
  • song: "Congo Bongo" with Cheo Feliciano. Recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico 1974.
  • Salsa, Original Motion Picture Sound Track Recording (1976)
  • song: "Mi Gente" recorded live at the inauguration concert of Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico 1974.
  • Tribute To Tito Rodríguez (1976)
  • songs: "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando" and "Vuela La Paloma" with Santos Colon, Ismael Quintana, Ismael Miranda, Justo Betancourt, Bobby Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez & Cheo Feliciano.
  • Fania All Stars Live (1978)
  • song: "Saca Tu Mujer" with Ismael Quintana, Santos Colon, Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Celia Cruz & Justo Betancourt. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York, United States.
  • Habana Jam (1979)
  • song: "Mi Gente / Barbarazo" with Wilfrido Vargas. Recorded live at Karl Marx Theater, Havana Cuba, 3 March 1979.
  • Commitment (1980)
  • song: "Ublabadu".
  • Latin Connection (1981)
  • song: "Semilla de Amor".
  • Lo Que Pide La Gente (1984)
  • songs: "El Rey De La Puntualidad", "Por Eso Yo Canto Salsa" and "Usando El Coco" with Cali Aleman, Ismael Quintana, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez & Celia Cruz.
  • Viva La Charanga (1986)
  • songs: "Me Voy Pa' Morón", "Isla Del Encanto" & "Guajira Con Tumbao" with Ismael Miranda, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez and Cali Aleman.
  • Bamboleo (1988)
  • song: "Siento".

Lavoe also sang chorus on three songs of Mon Rivera's album with Willie Colón, There Goes The Neighborhood (1974), and in the song "Las Cadenas de Chuíto" on Jesús Sanchez Erazo's album Música Jíbara para las Navidades (1978).

Filmography

Films

  • Our Latin Thing (1972)
  • Salsa (1976)
  • The Last Fight (1983)
  • Live In Africa (1986)

See also

  • List of Puerto Ricans
  • List of Puerto Rican songwriters
  • Music of Puerto Rico

References

  • – official site
  • La Voz Documentary about Héctor Lavoe.
  • Hector Lavoe at Fania Records
  • Lewis Beale: Puerto Rico’s Voice of Salsa, Lost but Found New York Times, 13 August 2006 (article on Lavoe's legacy and the biographical film "El Cantante")