carlos santana
Born in the Mexican village of Autlan De Navarro on July 20, 1947, Carlos Santana's earliest musical influence was his father José, an accomplished mariachi violinist, who introduced him to traditional Mexican music. When he was eight, his family relocated to Tijuana. It was in this border town that young Carlos heard the sounds of blues greats John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and T-Bone Walker on local radio stations. He had initially taken up the violin, but switched to guitar to emulate his new musical heroes. Just a few years later, he began performing with local bands like The T.J.s along the vibrant "Tijuana Strip." learn more

ricky martin
More than a billion television viewers in 187 countries across the globe felt the full force of Rickymania when he performed "The Cup Of Life" at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards ceremonies in February 1999. Ricky's single, "La Copa de la Vida," was the official song of the World Cup France '98 and has been a #1 single in more than 30 countries. That same night, Ricky's full-length Latin recording Vuelve won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Performance. learn more

shakira
Shakira the graceful one, has been sneaking up on you-the Grammys, the MTV Video Awards, those Pepsi spots. She's a child prodigy who wrote her first song at age eight, a blond-locked Colombian who speaks three languages and loves only in Spanish. She's a perfectionist who spends hours in the studio; she needs to be close to nature but her passion is the crackle of electric guitars. She is in the blush of youth, but she's far older than her 24 years. As her countryman, Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote, "Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention." learn more

enrique iglesias
Enrique Iglesias. Following in his father's footsteps as a sensual Latin vocalist, Enrique Iglesias became the most popular Latin singles artist during 1996, with five immense hits -- "Por Amarte," "Si Tu Te Vas," "No Llores por Mi," "Experiencia Religiosa" and "Trapecista" -- from his self-titled debut album, released in late 1995. The LP sold over one million copies. He resurfaced in 1997 with Vivir; two years later, he scored an international smash with the single "Bailamos," followed by the release of Enrique. learn more

julio iglesias
Julio's education steered far from music. He studied law in hopes of becoming a career diplomat, even though his first true love and ambition lied on the soccer field. A remarkable athlete, he later landed his dream job as a goalkeeper for the professional team Real Madrid. These dreams however, were soon shattered when a near-fatal car accident left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk for almost two years. learn more

marc anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz, (better known to the world as the reigning salsa king, Marc Anthony) was born on September 16, 1968 in New York City. Born of Puerto Rican parents, Marc Anthony spent his formative years in Spanish Harlem. His legal name, Marco Antonio Muñiz, was his father's way of paying tribute to the reknowned Mexican singer of the same name. He goes by the stage name Marc Anthony to avoid any confusion. learn more

jon secada
The arrival of any new trend in popular music inevitably will produce both leaders and followers, innovators and imitators. In the Latin pop explosion now sweeping the international music scene, Jon Secada has been both a leader and an innovator. In the course of his remarkable career, Jon has earned two Grammy Awards (for Best Latin Pop Album and Best Latin Pop Performance) and career album sales of more than 20 million units worldwide. He has not only topped both the Pop and Latin charts with his own recordings, but has written and/or produced landmark songs for such rising stars as Ricky Martin ("She's All I Ever Had") and Jennifer Lopez ("Baila"). learn more

gloria estefan
As one of the biggest new stars to emerge during the mid-'80s, singer Gloria Estefan predated the coming Latin pop explosion by a decade, scoring a series of propulsive dance hits rooted in the rhythms of her native Cuba before shifting her focus to softer, more ballad-oriented fare. Born Gloria Fajardo in Havana on September 1, 1957, she was raised primarily in Miami, FL, after her father, a bodyguard in the employ of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, was forced to flee the island following the 1959 coup helmed by Fidel Castro. In the fall of 1975, Fajardo and her cousin Merci Murciano auditioned for the Miami Latin Boys, a local wedding band headed by keyboardist Emilio Estefan. learn more

los lobos
Los Lobos was one of America's most distinctive and original bands of the '80s. They may have had a hit with "La Bamba" in 1987, yet that cover barely scratches the surface of their talents. Los Lobos is eclectic in the best sense of the word. While they draw equally from rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music, their music never sounds forced or self-conscious. Instead, all of their influences become one graceful, gritty sound. From their very first recordings their rich musicality was apparent; on nearly every subsequent record they have found ways to redefine and expand their sound, without ever straying from the musical traditions that form the heart and soul of the band. learn more