Raul Midón facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raul Midón
|
|
|---|---|
Raul Midón at TED2007 in 2007
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | March 14, 1966 Embudo, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop jazz, Latin Jazz, Latin pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, mouth trumpet |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | Artistry |
Raul Midón (born March 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his amazing guitar skills and smooth voice. He is also famous for a technique called "mouth trumpet," where he uses his voice to make sounds just like a trumpet.
Contents
Life and Music Career
A Musical Childhood
Raul Midón was born in a small town called Embudo, New Mexico. His father was a traditional dancer from Argentina, and his mother was African-American.
Raul and his twin brother, Marco, were born prematurely. They were placed in an incubator, a special clear box that keeps premature babies warm and safe. Unfortunately, they did not have proper protection for their eyes, and both brothers became blind as infants.
Because he couldn't see, sound became very important to Raul. When he was only four years old, his father gave him a drum, and his love for music began. He later learned to play the guitar at a school for the blind. He finished high school in 1984 and went on to study jazz at the University of Miami, graduating in 1990.
Becoming a Star
After college, Raul started his career as a backup singer for famous Latin music artists like Shakira, Julio Iglesias, and Jose Feliciano. After touring with Shakira, he decided to move to New York City to start his own solo career.
In New York, he began working with the famous producer and DJ Little Louie Vega. Together, they recorded several songs and toured across Europe, Japan, and Australia.
A legendary music producer named Arif Mardin discovered Raul and signed him to Manhattan Records. In 2005, Raul released his first major album, State of Mind. The album was a big success and even featured a performance by one of his heroes, the great Stevie Wonder. Another song on the album was a tribute to the singer Donny Hathaway.
Raul's music has been featured in movies and TV shows. He sang a song called "Adam n' Eve n' Eve" for the Spike Lee film ... Me (2004). His song "Everybody" was in the movie The Peaceful Warrior. He also performed on the Late Show with David Letterman, showing his talent to a huge audience.
Creating Music His Way
In 2008, Raul built a special recording studio in his home. With help from a company that creates technology for the blind, he was able to produce his own music without needing an engineer to help him. This gave him the freedom to record whenever he felt inspired.
He released the album Synthesis in 2009, working with producer Larry Klein. For his 2014 album, Don't Hesitate, he recorded everything in his home studio. The album featured famous musicians like Lizz Wright, Dianne Reeves, and Marcus Miller. He even wrote a song with the legendary Bill Withers.
Awards and Recent Work
Raul's hard work has earned him a lot of recognition. His 2017 album, ... And Blind, was nominated for a Grammy Award. This is one of the highest honors in music.
In 2018, he released If You Really Want, an album he recorded with a full orchestra called the Metropole Orkest. This album also earned him a second Grammy nomination.
In 2020, Raul released his album "The Mirror." When the world shut down during the pandemic, he stayed busy by working with other artists and performing for NPR's Tiny Desk Home Edition from his studio.
He continues to create new music. In 2022, he released his first all-instrumental album, Eclectic Adventurist, where he played guitar duets with other amazing guitarists. His most recent album, Lost & Found, was released in 2024.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Gracias a La Vida (1999)
- Blind to Reality (2001)
- State of Mind (2005)
- A World Within a World (2007)
- Synthesis (2009)
- Don't Hesitate (2014)
- ... And Blind (2017)
- If You Really Want (2018)
- The Mirror (2020)
- Eclectic Adventurist (2022)
- Lost & Found (2024)
Live Albums
- Live Limited Edition (2004)
- Invisible Chains Live from NYC (2012)
Notable Collaborations
- On The Dana Owens Album by Queen Latifah (2004)
- On Possibilities by Herbie Hancock (2005)
- On Tha Blue Carpet Treatment by Snoop Dogg (2006)
- On A Night In Monte-Carlo by Marcus Miller (2010)
See also
In Spanish: Raul Midón para niños
