Arab Americans

Profile

Music producer and songwriter Emilio Estefan was born on March 4, 1953, in Havana, Cuba. Estefan moved to the United States as a teenager. His first instrument was the accordion, and he started his musical career playing in restaurants and for weddings and other events. While working for Barcardi, the rum company, he formed a band called the Miami Latin Boys that played Cuban dance music. During one event, he met Gloria Fajardo and later recruited to her to join the band, which was renamed the Miami Sound Machine. The two became romantically involved and married in 1978.

The Miami Sound Machine found great success in the 1980s. After scoring hit records in other parts of the world, the band hit it big in the United States with the album, Primitive Love (1986) with two songs making it to the top 10 in the pop charts. And more hit songs “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” among them followed on the next album, Let It Loose. American fans enjoyed the band’s energetic dance music and its gentle ballads.

Estefan has been nominated for 28 Grammy Awards, winning the honor 14 times. Having been instrumental in the success of the Miami Sound Machine and his wife’s career, the Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter has lent his talents to other Latino superstars, such as Marc Antony, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. Through Estefan Entreprises, he has built an entertainment empire. The company is involved in music production, restaurant and hotels, television and film production among others. Estefan is well regarded by his peers in the entertainment industry and was selected as one of the most influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic Business magazine.