Héctor Lavoe (statue) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of Héctor Lavoe |
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| Artist | Severo Romero (Ponce, Puerto Rico) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 2 m (79 in) |
| Weight | 1 ton |
| Condition | Pristine |
| Location | La Guancha Barrio Playa, Ponce |
| 17°57′55.1514″N 66°36′52.2″W / 17.965319833°N 66.614500°W | |
| Owner | Municipality of Ponce, PR |
The Statue of Héctor Lavoe is a 6-foot tall bronze statue. It honors the famous salsa singer Héctor Lavoe, who was very popular in the 1970s. You can find this bronze statue at the Complejo Recreativo y Cultural La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico. The statue was created by the Puerto Rican artist Severo Romero and was first shown to the public in 2014.
About Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe (1946 – 1993) was a talented Puerto Rican salsa singer. People called him "El Cantante de los Cantantes," which means The Singer of Singers. From a young age, Héctor loved music. He studied at the Ponce Free School of Music in Puerto Rico.
In 1963, when he was just sixteen, Héctor moved to New York City. There, he quickly started singing with different music groups. He performed with a sextet led by Roberto García and also joined groups like Orquesta New York and the Johnny Pacheco band.
Héctor's Music Career
In 1967, Héctor Lavoe became the main singer for Willie Colón's band. They recorded many hit songs together, including "El Malo" and "Canto a Borinquen." Later, Lavoe started his own band and became a solo artist.
As a solo singer, he released many popular songs. Some of his biggest hits were "El cantante," "Bandolera," and "Periódico de ayer." He also often performed as a special guest with the famous Fania All Stars band. In 2000, Héctor Lavoe was honored by being added to the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
About the Statue
The idea for a statue honoring Héctor Lavoe began in 2002. This was when his remains were moved to Ponce to be buried there. A group called the "Comité Pro Monumento a Héctor Lavoe" (Committee for the Héctor Lavoe Monument) was formed. Their goal was to plan and build the statue.
Building the Monument
Many people helped by giving small donations, from $1 to $20. These donations from the public helped pay for most of the statue. The statue was officially shown to the public on June 1, 2014.
The statue was made by Severo Romero, a sculptor from Ponce, Puerto Rico. It cost about $60,000 to create. The statue stands 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall and weighs 1 ton. It shows Héctor Lavoe holding a microphone in his right hand and maracas in his left hand. The statue is made of bronze and looks very much like the singer.
