Gloria Estefan, Miguel Among Honorees at Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala
Composers Gloria Estefan, Omar Alfanno, Rafael Perez Botija and Lolita de la Colina were inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame at the second annual La Musa Awards gala in Miami Beach on Saturday, reports Billboard.
Emerging music stars like Jencarlos Canela, who received the "Luchador" (Fighter) award, to music veterans like Alejandro Sanz, a three-time Grammy and 15-time Latin Grammy winner, filled the Ritz Carlton ballroom to enjoy performances by Sanz, Canela, David Bisbal, Jon Secada, Diego Torres and R&B Singer Miguel.
"I appreciate that you've included me in such a prestigious event," said Miguel, who was awarded the Triunfador (Champion). "I'll try to do my best to honor the Latin community."
Puerto Rican star Ednita Nazario serenaded Estefan before joining Secada and a gospel chorus to perform her hit "Coming Out of the Dark."
Estefan, a songwriter who has penned some of her greatest hits along with popular tracks for Shakira, Secada and Celia Cruz, said during her Hall of Fame acceptance speech that music has helped her through some of her life's toughest moments. Her hit song "Coming Out of the Dark," written after the 1990 traffic accident that nearly paralyzed her, is a testimonial to that fact.
Latin stars Bisbal (for Perez Botija) and ranchero singer Rafael Negrete (for de la Colina) performed.
Alfanno, who has recorded over 300 songs, performed several hits along with friends Luis Enrique and Beatriz Luengo.
Angel López of Son by Four also performed. Son of Four's original track "A puro dolor" in 2000 was Billboard's Latin song of the decade based on airplay.
Late media tycoon Pablo Raul Alarcon, founder of the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), was honored posthumously with the Desi Arnaz Pioneer Award. His son Raúl Alarcón, Jr., the networks current President and CEO, accepted the award. He told the audience that since SBS was created in the 1980s, its stations have played Latin songs more than 34 million times.
The gala also honored Zach Horowitz, record executive and former Universal Music Publishing Group chairman and CEO, with the Publishers award. Horowitz, who was a key figure in developing Universal's Latin division, was serenaded by Oscar-award winning producer and artist Gustavo Santaolalla.
Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization founded by songwriter/producers Rudy Pérez and Desmond Child in 2012 to honor Latin music creators.
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