José Luis Perales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids José Luis Perales
Perales in 2019
Background information
Birth name	José Luis Perales Morillas
Born	(1945-01-18) 18 January 1945 (age 80) Castejón, Cuenca, Spain
Genres	Latin pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, composer
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Hispavox, Sony/BMG, Columbia

José Luis Perales Morillas (born January 18, 1945) is a famous Spanish singer, songwriter, and music producer. He has created 27 albums and sold over 30 million copies worldwide! Many other well-known singers, like Julio Iglesias and Marc Anthony, have recorded songs written by him.

Perales has performed concerts in many countries, including Mexico, Argentina, and the United States. Some of his most popular songs are "Quisiera Decir tu Nombre" and "¿Y cómo es él?". His song "Porque te vas" became a huge hit, covered by over 40 artists in different countries.

About José Luis Perales

Early Life and Music

José Luis Perales was born in a small town called Castejón, near Cuenca, Spain. He grew up in a traditional family. From a very young age, he loved music. He learned to play the lute when he was only six years old!

He started writing his own songs at age 14. But he was shy! He didn't show his songs to record companies until 1968, when he was 23. He said others had to present his songs because he was "terribly embarrassed."

Perales lived in his hometown for 16 years. In 1961, he moved to Seville to study electronics. Later, he moved to Madrid to study surveying. He worked as an electrician and even shined shoes to help pay for his studies.

Becoming a Singer

While studying, José Luis kept writing songs. At first, he wrote only for other singers. Famous producer Rafael Trabucchelli convinced him to sing his own songs. Many artists, like Jeanette and Miguel Bosé, recorded his music.

Perales shared that he had a few songs he kept for himself. When people heard them, they asked him to sing them. That's how his singing career began. He admitted it felt "a bit forced" at first because it seemed like a "very complicated job." He was scared but slowly got used to it.

One of his first songs, "Niebla," was inspired by listening to the radio. This song showed him that music was his true calling. He also worked as a draftsman while waiting for singers to be interested in his compositions.

First Successes

His first song to appear on a record was "En San Marcos" in 1972. It was sung by Daniel Velázquez. This was the first time Perales' name was on a vinyl record. The song describes the beautiful city of Venice.

In 1976, Perales composed "Porque te vas". This song was sung by Jeanette and sold an amazing 4 million copies worldwide! His first album, Celos de mi Guitarra (Jealous of my Guitar), was a big hit in Spain and Latin America.

On February 18, 2019, José Luis Perales received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes. This is a very important award for his achievements in the arts.

Discography

• 1973 – Mis Canciones (My Songs)
• 1974 – El Pregón (The Pregon)
• 1975 – Para Vosotros Canto (For You I Sing)
• 1976 – Por Si Quieres Conocerme (In Case You want To know Me)
• 1978 – Como La Lluvia Fresca (Like Fresh Rain)
• 1978 – Soledades (Edition Just For Latinamerica) (Solitudes)
• 1979 – Tiempo De Otoño (Time of Autumn)
• 1981 – Nido De Águilas (Eagle's Nest)
• 1982 – Entre El Agua Y El Fuego (Between the Water and the Fire)
• 1984 – Amaneciendo En Ti (Waking Up to You)
• 1986 – Con El Paso Del Tiempo (With the Passage of Time)
• 1986 – Que Canten los Ninos (Let The Children Sing)
• 1988 – Sueño De Libertad (Dream of Freedom)
• 1989 – La Espera (The Wait)
• 1990 – A Mis Amigos (To My Friends)
• 1991 – América (America)
• 1993 – Gente Maravillosa (Wonderful People)
• 1996 – En Clave De Amor (In The Key of Love)
• 1998 – Quédate Conmigo (Stay with Me)
• 2000 – Me Han Contado Que Existe Un Paraíso (They've Told me that there's a Paradise)
• 2006 – Navegando Por Ti (Sailing Across You)
• 2012 – Calle Soledad (Street of Loneliness)
• 2016 – Calma (album) (Calm)

See also

In Spanish: José Luis Perales para niños

• List of best-selling Latin music artists