Emilio Estefan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emilio Estefan
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Estefan at the 2014 Miami International Film Festival premiere of An Unbreakable Bond
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Emilio Estefan Gómez
March 4, 1953 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
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| Other names | Emilio Estefan Jr. |
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| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2, including Emily |
| Relatives | Lili Estefan (niece) |
| Musical career | |
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| Labels | Sony |
Emilio Estefan Gómez (born March 4, 1953) is a famous Cuban-American musician and music producer. He has won an amazing 19 Grammy Awards! Emilio first became well-known as a member of the band Miami Sound Machine.
He is married to the famous singer Gloria Estefan. They have a son named Nayib Estefan and a daughter named Emily Estefan. Emilio is also the uncle of TV star Lili Estefan.
Emilio Estefan is known for helping Latin music become popular in the United States in the late 1990s. He helped many artists become stars, including his wife Gloria Estefan, Jon Secada, Ricky Martin, and Shakira.
He has received many honors, like the "Songwriter of the Year" award in 2005. He also has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his songwriting. In 2015, President Barack Obama gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest award a civilian can get in the United States. In 2019, he also received the Gershwin Prize for his musical achievements.
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Emilio Estefan's Early Life
Emilio Estefan Gómez was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, in 1953. His parents were Emilio Estefan Sr. and Carmen María Gómez. His father's family had roots in Syria and Lebanon. His mother's parents were from Spain.
In 1967, when Emilio was 14, he and his father left Cuba. They went to Spain to escape the government at the time. Their family planned to meet later in the United States. Emilio's mother stayed behind to care for her parents. His older brother could not leave Cuba until 1980.
Emilio and his father lived a difficult life in Spain for about a year. Then, they moved to Miami, Florida. Life was better in Miami, but they still lived in a small house with relatives. Emilio did not see his mother again until 1971.
Even when he was young, Emilio used his musical talent to help his family. He often played the accordion to earn money.
Emilio Estefan's Music Career
Starting in Music
In 1975, Gloria Fajardo and her cousin Merci Navarro met Emilio. They were at a church music practice. Emilio had just started a band called the Miami Latin Boys. Gloria and Merci sang at a wedding where Emilio's band was playing. They sang so well that Emilio invited them to join his band.
The band's name then changed to Miami Sound Machine. Gloria was a student at the University of Miami. She agreed to sing only on weekends so she could focus on her studies. Soon, Gloria Estefan became the lead singer of the famous Miami Sound Machine.
Working as a Producer
As a music producer, Emilio Estefan helped many music stars grow their careers. He played a big part in the "Latin Boom" of the late 1990s. He produced and wrote songs for albums by artists like Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Jon Secada, Marc Anthony, and Thalia.
Emilio has also produced many TV shows and events. These include the Latin Grammys and special shows for HBO and Showtime. He has even produced musical events at the White House.
In 2008, Emilio produced his first documentary film. It was called 90 Millas and showed the history of Cuban music.
In 2010, Emilio brought together many Latino entertainers. They recorded a Spanish version of Michael Jackson's song "We Are The World". This new version was called "Somos El Mundo". The money raised from the song helped people affected by the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Books and Broadway
Also in 2010, Emilio Estefan wrote a book. It was called The Rhythm of Success – How an Immigrant Produced His Own American Dream.
The next year, he helped create another book called The Exile Experience: A Journey to Freedom. This book shared personal stories from different generations of Cubans who left their home country.
In 2013, Emilio worked with the Nederlander Group to create a Broadway musical. The musical is called On Your Feet! It tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan's lives and their amazing music journey. On Your Feet! opened on Broadway in October 2015.
Other Projects
In 2013, Emilio became an ambassador for AARP's Life Reimagined program. In this role, he shares his ideas on topics like living well, mentoring others, and helping the community.
In 2014, Emilio directed a documentary film called An Unbreakable Bond. This film was about a father and son, Marc and Nick Buoniconti, who worked to find a cure for paralysis. The film was shown at many film festivals.
Emilio was also named a Special Ambassador for Miami-Dade County in 2014. In this role, he helps promote business and trade in the Miami area around the world.
Emilio Estefan's Businesses
Gloria and Emilio Estefan own several businesses. They have Cuban-themed restaurants called Bongos Cuban Café and Larios on the Beach. These restaurants are in places like Miami Beach, downtown Miami, and Walt Disney World in Orlando.
They also own two hotels: Costa d'Este in Vero Beach and The Cardozo in Miami Beach.
In 2009, Emilio and Gloria became the first Hispanic people to own a small part of an NFL team, the Miami Dolphins.
Awards and Honors
Emilio Estefan has received many awards for his work in music.
- In 1994, he won the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the Lo Nuestro Excellence Award.
- In 2000, he won the Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year. He was also named the first Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.
- In 2002, President George W. Bush chose him to be part of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
- In 2005, he received the "Songwriter of the Year" award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- He has received special honorary degrees from several universities.
- In 2009, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
- In 2014, he was added to the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- In 2015, President Barack Obama gave Emilio and Gloria Estefan the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- In 2018, they received the Lo Nuestro Excellence Award.
- In 2019, they received the Gershwin Prize from the Library of Congress.
Emilio Estefan's Family Life
Emilio Estefan and Gloria Fajardo started dating in 1976. They got married on September 2, 1978. They have a son, Nayib, who was born in 1980. Their daughter, Emily Estefan, was born in 1994. The family lives on Star Island in Miami.
Emily Estefan is also a recording artist, just like her parents. Nayib is a filmmaker and owns a movie theater in Miami. In 2010, Nayib married Lara Diamante Coppola. In 2012, Emilio and Gloria became grandparents when their grandson, Sasha Argento Coppola Estefan, was born. Gloria Estefan has said that "Sasha" is a Russian name meaning "benefactor of mankind."
See also
In Spanish: Emilio Estefan para niños
