33 Facts About Hector Lavoe

Hector Juan Perez Martinez, better known as Hector Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer.

Hector Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelo Abajo barrio of Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Hector Lavoe moved to New York City on 3 May 1963, at the age of sixteen.

In 1979, Hector Lavoe became deeply depressed and sought the help of a high priest of the Santeria faith to treat his drug addiction.

Hector Lavoe survived the attempt and recorded an album before his health began failing.

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Hector Lavoe was born 30 September 1946 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, to Francisca Martinez and Luis Perez, and raised in the Machuelo Abajo barrio of the city.

Hector Lavoe was inspired early in life by his musically talented family.

Hector Lavoe's grandfather, Don Juan Martinez, was a singer of controversial songs, which led to physical confrontations.

Hector Lavoe was in high demand as a guitarist for the Fiestas de Cruz celebrations and other popular religious ceremonies, and he wanted his son to receive formal musical training as a trombonist; Hector dreamt of being a singer.

Hector Lavoe was influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesus Sanchez Erazo, known as "Chuito el de Bayamon" - one of the island's most successful folk singers, and Daniel Santos.

Hector Lavoe attended the local Juan Morel Campos Public School of Music where the first instrument he learned to play was the saxophone.

Hector Lavoe's classmates included Jose Febles and multi-instrumentalist Papo Lucca.

Hector Lavoe felt Hector would become a superstar as a bolero singer.

Hector Lavoe moved permanently to New York on 3 May 1963, against his father's wishes, as an older brother had moved there and later died of a drug overdose.

In 1965, Hector Lavoe met Russell Cohen, who fronted the New Yorkers - the band Hector Lavoe would first record with - the album Esta de bala.

Colon's band featured a raw, aggressive, all-trombone sound that was well received by salsa fans, and Hector Lavoe complemented the style with his articulate voice, talent for improvisation, and sense of humor.

Hector Lavoe received instant recognition, steady work, and enough money to provide him with a comfortable lifestyle.

In late 1970, Colon and Hector Lavoe recorded the first of two Asalto Navideno albums, featuring Puerto Rican folk songs such as Ramito's jibaro song "Patria y Amor", renamed "Canto a Borinquen", and original compositions.

Hector Lavoe was given the opportunity to become the bandleader of his own orchestra.

Hector Lavoe was part of the group when the All-Stars returned to Yankee Stadium in 1975, where the band recorded a two volume production entitled Live at Yankee Stadium.

Hector Lavoe was included in the group along with: Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Justo Betancourt, Ismael Quintana, Bobby Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Santos Colon, and Celia Cruz.

Hector Lavoe recorded songs with the band in fifteen different productions, serving as vocalist on twenty-three songs.

Besides recording songs with the band, Hector Lavoe was present in three movies filmed and produced by Fania Records; these were: Fania All Stars: Our Latin Thing, Fania All Stars: Salsa, and Celia Cruz with the Fania All Stars: Live in Africa.

One year later, Hector Lavoe was scheduled to perform at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on the night of Saturday 25 June 1988.

The next day, 26 June 1988, Hector Lavoe attempted suicide by jumping off the ninth floor of the Regency Hotel Condado in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Hector Lavoe survived the attempt, but from that day forward, would never completely recover.

In 1990, Hector Lavoe gave his last large, public performance with the Fania All Stars at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

On 29 June 1993, Hector Lavoe died at Saint Clare's Hospital from a complication from AIDS.

Hector Lavoe was initially buried in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx.

Hector Lavoe's remains are at the Cementerio Civil de Ponce, in that city's Portugues Urbano neighborhood.

Salsa singer La India began production of her own biopic of Hector Lavoe's life entitled The Singer, with actor and singer Raulito Carbonell in the lead role.

Hector Lavoe was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

Hector Lavoe sang chorus on three songs of Mon Rivera's album with Willie Colon, There Goes The Neighborhood, and in the song "Las Cadenas de Chuito" on Jesus Sanchez Erazo's album Musica Jibara para las Navidades.