Retrospective on Gloria Estefan:
On my recent flight I was able to listen to retrospective on the music of Gloria Estefan as she stars in an upcoming Broadway based on her life's work. I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of her but I can honestly say I do like her and appreciate how much her music brought latin music to America in the 80s and 90s.
I remember watching her on the first divas live on vh1 in 1999 and watching her behind the music (remember when the music channels had content that wasn't crappy reality tv).
I also remember as a child how popular the song conga was. I never knew what latin music was or a conga line or Spanish in the 80s, all I knew was it was fun, energetic and I wanted to dance to it . I grew up where I mostly listened to Christian music so on the rare occasion something else would come on TV or the radio I was instantly hooked.
I have come to realize that funk, Afro Cuban, and Afro beat all are based on the same rhythms and that all music can have soul.
I'm so happy to be reminded through this retrospective how music has the power to connect us , to allow us to express our heritage and pride and how these things have become woven into the melting pot of American music!