EL, El or el may refer to:

El (deity), a Semitic word for "God"; also a senior god mentioned in the Ugarit and Ebla texts found in ancient Syria.

El (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet

El (letter), the letter L

''El'' (hentai), an h game by ELF Corporation

''Él'' (film), a 1953 film by Luis Buñuel

''El'' (album), an album by Lucero

El, family name of Kal-El (Superman) and his father Jor-El in ''Superman''

Acura EL, an automobile

El (crater), a crater on Ganymede

El (Shugo Chara!), a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit

el (street art), a street artist working internationally on major campaigns using stickers, photography, silkscreen, sewing, and literary techniques.

Abbreviations

Sports

UEFA Europa League, (formerly the UEFA Cup) is a competition for eligible European football clubs.

Eastern League (U.S. baseball), a Class AA League in Minor League Baseball

Fiction

El rune, a rune in the video game ''Diablo II: Lord of Destruction''

Eternal Lands, an MMORPG video game

El, the main character of Robert Rodriguiez's ''Mariachi Trilogy''

Elfen Lied, an Anime series

Electronics

Electroluminescence (EL)

Electroluminescent display, a display made with electroluminescent material

Computing

Expression Language, a feature of the JavaServer Pages software technology

Enciclopedia Libre, a spin-off project of the Spanish Wikipedia

.el, a computer file extension used for Emacs Lisp source code

Transportation

Air Nippon's IATA code

Erie Lackawanna Railway's reporting mark

El, nickname of elevated rapid transit systems:

* Market-Frankford Line, in Philadelphia

* Chicago 'L' rapid transit system (part of the system is elevated)

Other

Electrum (El), an alloy of gold and silver

Equilibrium level, the height in the atmosphere where unstable air becomes stable

European Left, a political party at European level

Everyman's Library, a series of reprinted classic literature

Greek language's ISO 639 language code

EL, an abbreviation for Tablespoon in German (:de:Esslöffel)

See also

El Gordo (disambiguation)

Ell (disambiguation)

Elle (disambiguation)

Elf (disambiguation)

cs:EL da:El de:EL es:El (desambiguación) eo:El fr:EL ko:EL it:EL sw:EL lt:EL nl:El ja:EL no:El sk:El fi:El sv:EL tl:El

name	Amy Grant
background	solo_singer
birth name	Amy Lee Grant
birth date	November 25, 1960
birth place	Augusta, Georgia,
origin	Nashville, Tennessee
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician, author, actress
genre	Contemporary Christian, pop rock, soft rock
years active	1976–present
instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano/keyboard
label	Myrrh, Word, Sparrow
website
associated acts	Vince Gill, Gary Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Peter Cetera }}

Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop". As of 2009, Grant remains the best-selling contemporary Christian music singer ever, having sold over 30 million units worldwide.

Grant made her debut as a teenager, and gained fame in Christian music during the 1980s with such hits as "Father's Eyes," "El Shaddai", and "Angels". In 1986, she scored her first number one charting Billboard Hot 100 hit song in a duet with Peter Cetera The Next Time I Fall. During the 1980s and 1990s, she became one of the first gospel artists to cross over into mainstream pop on the heels of her successful albums ''Unguarded'' and ''Heart in Motion'', the latter of which included the number-one single "Baby Baby."

Grant has won six Grammy Awards, 25 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, and had the first Christian album ever to go Platinum. ''Heart in Motion'' is her highest selling album, with over five million copies sold in the United States alone. She was honored with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 for her contributions to the entertainment industry.

Biography

Early years

Grant (born in Augusta, Georgia) is the youngest of four sisters. She and her family settled in Nashville, Tennessee in 1967.

During 1976, Grant wrote her first song ("Mountain Man"), performed in public for the first time—at Harpeth Hall School—the all-girls school she attended, recorded a demo tape for her parents with church youth-leader Brown Bannister, then later when Bannister was dubbing a copy of the tape, Chris Christian, the owner of the recording studio, heard the demo and called Word Records. He played it over the phone, and she was offered a recording contract, five weeks before her 16th birthday. In 1977, she recorded her first album titled ''Amy Grant'', produced by Brown Bannister (who would also produce her next 11 albums). It was released in the Spring of 1978, one month before her high school graduation. That fall she performed her first ticketed concert—in Fort Worth, Texas—after beginning her freshman year at Furman University. In May 1979, while at the album release party for her second album, ''My Father's Eyes'', Grant met Gary Chapman, writer of the title track (and future husband). Grant & Chapman toured together the summer of 1979. In the fall of 1980, she transferred to Vanderbilt University, where she was a member of the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta. Grant then made a few more albums before dropping out of college to pursue a career in music—''Never Alone'', followed by a pair of live albums in 1981 (''In Concert'' and ''In Concert Volume Two''), both backed by an augmented edition of the DeGarmo & Key band. It was during these early shows that Grant also established one of her concert trademarks: performing barefoot. To date, Grant continues to take off her shoes midway through performances, as she has said "it is just more comfortable."

1982 saw the release of her breakthrough album ''Age to Age''. The album contains the signature track, "El Shaddai" (written by Michael Card) and the Grant-Chapman penned song, "In a Little While". "El Shaddai" was later awarded one of the "Songs of the Century" by the RIAA in 2001. Grant received her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Gospel Performance, as well as two GMA Dove Awards for Gospel Artist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. ''Age to Age'' became the first Christian album by a solo artist to be certified gold (1983) and the first Christian album to be certified platinum (1985).

In the mid-1980s, Grant began touring and recording with young up-and-coming songwriter Michael W. Smith. Grant and Smith continue to have a strong friendship and creative relationship, often writing songs for or contributing vocals to each other's albums. During the 1980s, Grant was also a backup singer for Bill Gaither.

Grant followed up this album with the first of her Christmas albums - albums that later would be the basis for her trademark holiday shows. In 1984, she released another pop-oriented Christian hit, ''Straight Ahead,'' earning Grant her first appearance at the Grammy Awards show in 1985. The head of NBC took notice of Grant's performance and called her manager to book her for her own Christmas special.

Widening audience

Hardly had Grant established herself as the "Queen of Christian Pop" when she changed directions to widen her fan base (and hence her musical message). Her goal was to become the first Christian singer-songwriter who was also successful as a contemporary pop singer. ''Unguarded'' (1985) surprised some fans for its very mainstream sound (and Grant's leopard-print jacket, in four poses for four different covers). "Find a Way", from ''Unguarded'', became the first Christian song to hit Billboard's Top 40 list, also reaching #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Amy Grant scored her first Billboard Number One hit in 1986 with "The Next Time I Fall", a duet with former Chicago singer/bassist Peter Cetera. That year, she also recorded a duet with singer Randy Stonehill for his ''Love Beyond Reason'' album, entitled "I Could Never Say Goodbye", and recorded ''The Animals' Christmas'' with Art Garfunkel.

''Lead Me On'' (1988) contained many songs that were about Christianity and love relationships, but some interpreted it as not being an obviously "Christian" record. Years later, ''Lead Me On'' would be chosen as the greatest Contemporary Christian album of all time by ''CCM Magazine''. The mainstream song "Saved by Love" was a minor hit, receiving airplay on radio stations featuring the newly emerging Adult Contemporary format. The album's title song received some pop radio airplay and crossed over to #96 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "1974 (We Were Young)" and "Saved By Love" also charted as Adult Contemporary songs. In 1989 she appeared in a Target ad campaign, performing songs off the album.

In the mainstream

When ''Heart in Motion'' was released in 1991, many fans were surprised that the album was so clearly one of contemporary pop music. Grant's desire to widen her audience was frowned upon by the confines of the popular definitions of ministry at the time. The track "Baby Baby" (written for Grant's newborn daughter, Millie, whose "six-week-old face was my inspiration,") became a pop hit (hitting number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100), and Grant was established as a name in the mainstream music world. "Baby Baby" received Grammy nominations for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Record and Song of the Year (although it failed to win in any of those categories). Four other hits from the album made the Pop top 20: "Every Heartbeat" (#2), "That's What Love Is For" (#7), "Good For Me" (#8), and "I Will Remember You" (#20). On the Adult Contemporary chart, all five songs were top 10 hits, with two of the five ("Baby Baby" and "That's What Love Is For") reaching #1. Many Christian fans remained loyal, putting the album atop Billboard's Contemporary Christian Chart for 32 weeks. ''Heart in Motion'' is Grant's best-selling album, having sold over 5 million copies according to the RIAA. Grant followed the album with her second Christmas album, ''Home For Christmas'' in 1992, which included the song "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)", written by Chris Eaton and Grant, and would later be covered by many artists, including Donna Summer, Jessica Simpson (who acknowledged Grant as one of her favorite artists), Vince Gill, Sara Groves, Point of Grace, and Broadway star Barbara Cook.

''House of Love'' in 1994 continued in the same vein, boasting catchy pop songs mingled with spiritual lyrics. The album was a multi-platinum success and produced the pop hit "Lucky One" (#18 pop and #2 AC; #1 on Radio & Records) as well as the title track (a duet with country music star and future husband Vince Gill) (#37 pop) and a cover of Joni Mitchell's frequently covered "Big Yellow Taxi" (#67 pop) (in which she changed the line "And they charged the people ''a dollar and a half'' just to see em" to "And then they charged the people ''25 bucks'' just to see em").

Grant participated in Lifetime's 1st Annual "Girls & Guitars" benefit, singing numerous songs, including a duet with Melissa Etheridge on "You Can Sleep While I Drive".

After she covered the 10cc song "The Things We Do For Love" for the ''Mr. Wrong'' soundtrack, ''Behind the Eyes'' was released in September 1997. The album struck a much darker note, leaning more towards downtempo, acoustic soft-rock songs, with more mature (yet still optimistic) lyrics. She called it her "razor blades and Prozac" album. Although "Takes A Little Time" was a moderate hit single, the album failed to sell like the previous two albums, which had both gone multi-platinum. ''Behind The Eyes'' was eventually certified Gold by the RIAA. The video for "Takes A Little Time" was a new direction for Grant; with a blue light filter, acoustic guitar, the streets and characters of New York City, and a plot, Grant was re-cast as an adult light rocker. She followed up "Behind The Eyes" with ''A Christmas To Remember'', her third Christmas album, in 1999. The album was certified Gold in 2000.

Return to gospel

Grant returned to her gospel music roots with the 2002 release of ''Legacy... Hymns and Faith''. The album featured a Vince Gill-influenced mix of bluegrass and gospel and marked Grant's 25th anniversary in the music industry. Grant followed this up with the pop release ''Simple Things'' in 2003. The album did not have the success of her previous pop or gospel efforts. However, soon after ''Simple Things'', Grant and Interscope/A&M; parted ways. The same year, Grant was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association, an industry trade organization of which she is a longstanding member, in her first year of eligibility. Grant released a sequel to her hymns collection in 2005 titled ''Rock of Ages... Hymns & Faith''.

Looking ahead

Although neither of her latest hymn releases have captured the popularity of her previous gospel career, Grant still remains a popular concert draw and enjoys popularity amongst both fan bases. For years in the 1990s and early 2000s, she toured in November and December for her Christmas and holiday tours. Often her husband and many special guests performed along with her on stage.

Grant joined the reality television phenomenon by hosting ''Three Wishes'', a show in which she and a team of helpers make wishes come true for small-town residents. The show debuted on NBC in the fall of 2005 and was canceled at the end of its first season because of high production costs. After ''Three Wishes'' was canceled, Grant won her 6th Grammy Award for ''Rock of Ages... Hymns & Faith''. In a February 2006 webchat, Amy stated she believes her "best music is still ahead".

In April 2006, a live CD/DVD entitled ''Time Again...Amy Grant Live'' was recorded in Fort Worth, Texas, at Bass Performance Hall. (Grant's first paid public performance was at the Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth, TX.) The concert was released on September 26, 2006. In addition to receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, media appearances included write-ups in ''CCM Magazine'', and a performance on The View.

In a February 2007 web chat on her web site, Amy discussed a book she was working on entitled ''Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far'': "It's not an autobiography, but more a collection of memories, song lyrics, poetry and a few pictures." The book was released on October 16, 2007. In November, it debuted at #35 on the New York Times Best Seller list. In the same web chat, Amy noted that she is "anxious to get back in the studio after the book is finished, and reinvent myself as an almost-50 performing woman."

2007 was Grant's 30th year in music. She left Word/Warner, and contracted with EMI CMG who re-released her regular studio albums as remastered versions on August 14, 2007. Marking the start of Grant's new contract is a career-spanning greatest hits album, with all the songs digitally remastered. The album was released as both a single-disc CD edition, and a 2-Disc CD/DVD Special Edition, the DVD featuring music videos and interviews.

Grant appeared with Gill on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' for a holiday special in December 2007. Grant has plans to appear on CMT, a Food Network special, the Gospel Music Channel, and The Hour of Power.

In February 2008, Grant joined the writing team from Compassionart as a guest vocalist at the Abbey Road studios, London, to record a song called "Highly Favoured", which was included on the album ''CompassionArt''.

On June 24, 2008, Grant re-released her 1988 album, ''Lead Me On'', in honor of its 20th anniversary. The two-disc release includes the original album and a second disc with new acoustic recordings, live performances from 1989, and interviews with Amy. Grant recreated the ''Lead Me On'' tour in the fall of 2008.

On June 27, 2008, Grant surprised everyone at the Creation Northeast Festival by being the special guest. She performed "Lead Me On" and a few other songs backed with the Hawk Nelson band. At the end of the concert, Grant returned to the stage and sang "Thy Word". She appeared on the 2008 album ''Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends'' singing "Could I Have This Dance".

In May 2009 for Mother's Day, Amy released an EP on iTunes containing two new songs, "She Colors My Day," and "Unafraid," as well as the older songs "Baby Baby" and "Oh How The Years Go By."

During Disney's D23 Expo in September 2009, Imagineer Steven Davison announced Amy Grant as the "signature voice" for the ''World of Color'' hydrotechnic show at Disney's California Adventure theme park.

In 2010, Grant released ''Somewhere Down the Road'', featuring the hit single "Better Than a Hallelujah", which peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Top Christian Songs chart. When asked about the new album during an interview with CBN.com, Grant says, "...my hope is just for those songs to provide companionship, remind myself and whoever else is listening what’s important. I feel like songs have the ability to connect us to ourselves and to each other, and to our faith, to the love of Jesus, in a way that conversation doesn’t do. Songs kind of slip in and move you before you realize it."

Personal life

Grant married fellow Christian musician Gary Chapman on June 19, 1982. Their marriage produced three children: Matthew Garrison Chapman (born 1987), Gloria Mills Chapman (called "Millie", born 1989), and Sarah Cannon Chapman (born 1992), who was named after country legend Minnie Pearl, a family friend. (Pearl's real name was Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon.) Citing "irreconcilable differences", Grant filed for divorce from Chapman in March 1999, and the divorce was final in June 1999.

On March 10, 2000, Grant married Vince Gill, who had been previously married to country singer Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Grant and Gill have a daughter together, Corinna Grant Gill, born March 12, 2001.

In the December 1999 ''Baptist Standard'', Grant explained why she left Chapman and married Gill:

"I didn't get a divorce because I had a great marriage and then along came Vince Gill. Gary and I had a rocky road from day one. I think what was so hard—and this is (what) one of our counselors said—sometimes an innocent party can come into a situation, and they're like a big spotlight. What they do is reveal, by comparison, the painful dynamics that are already in existence."

Public views and perception

Among praise for her contributions to the Contemporary Christian genre, Amy Grant has also generated controversy within the Christian community, from "complaints that she was too worldly and too sexy" to a "barrage of condemnation" following her divorce and remarriage.

In an interview early in her career, Grant stated "I have a healthy sense of right and wrong, but sometimes, for example, using foul, exclamation-point words among friends can be good for a laugh." Within the same article, Grant expressed an opinion that those most opposed to premarital sex and rock music often base their views in part on having experienced emotional distress. "'It seems to me,' she says as an after-thought, 'that people who are most adamantly against premarital sex have experienced some kind of pain in their own lives. Like the people who say absolutely no to rock 'n' roll. Chances are it has something to do with a past sadness.'"

Discography

Studio Albums

1977 ''Amy Grant''

1979 ''My Father's Eyes''

1980 ''Never Alone''

1982 ''Age to Age''

1984 ''Straight Ahead''

1985 ''Unguarded''

1988 ''Lead Me On''

1991 ''Heart in Motion''

1994 ''House of Love''

1997 ''Behind the Eyes''

2002 ''Legacy...Hymns and Faith''

2003 ''Simple Things''

2005 ''Rock of Ages...Hymns and Faith''

2010 ''Somewhere Down The Road''

Live Albums

1981 ''In Concert''

1981 ''In Concert Volume Two''

2006 ''Time Again...Amy Grant Live'' (CD/DVD)

Holiday Albums

1983 ''A Christmas Album''

1992 ''Home for Christmas''

1999 ''A Christmas to Remember''

Bibliography

Grant is the author of several books, including a memoir, ''Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far'', and a book based on the popular Christmas song ''Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song).''

Popular culture

The cover for the comic book ''Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #15'' (March 1990) featured an unauthorized image of Grant, leading to a lawsuit against publisher Marvel Comics.

In 2001, Grant sang God Bless America in front of a sellout crowd at the Owen County Fair Grounds in Spencer, Indiana. She dedicated her performance to the victims of 9/11, and officially started the Demolition Derby.

Following the 9/11 attacks, Grant's "I Will Remember You" saw a resurgence in popularity as many radio DJs mixed a special tribute version of the song.

In 2001, Grant won $125,000 for charity on the "Rock Star Edition" of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".

Propagandhi's song "Back To The Motor League" refers to Grant in its lyrics, saying, "Take back your Amy Grant mosh crews, your fair weather politics."

Awards and achievements

Grammy Awards

Wins

1982 – Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational ''Age to Age''

1983 – Best Gospel Performance, Female "Ageless Medley"

1984 – Best Gospel Performance, Female "Angels"

1985 – Best Gospel Performance, Female ''Unguarded''

1988 – Best Gospel Performance, Female ''Lead Me On''

2006 – Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album '' Rock of Ages…Hymns & Faith''

Nominations

1992 – Album of the Year ''Heart in Motion'' (lost to ''Unforgettable... with Love'' by Natalie Cole) 1992 – Song of the Year "Baby Baby" 1992 – Record of the Year "Baby Baby" (both lost to "Unforgettable" by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole) 1992 – Pop Performance Female "Baby Baby" (lost to "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt) 1994 – Children Spoken Word ''Lion & the Lamb'' 2011 – Best Gospel Song ''Better Than A Hallelujah''

GMA Dove Awards

*Inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003

1983 Artist of the Year

1983 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year ''Age to Age''

1983 Recorded Music Packaging ''Age to Age''

1984 Recorded Music Packaging ''A Christmas Album''

1985 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year ''Straight Ahead''

1986 Artist of the Year

1986 Recorded Music Packaging ''Unguarded''

1988 Short Form Music Video of the Year "Stay For a While"

1989 Artist of the Year

1989 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year ''Lead Me On''

1989 Short Form Music Video of the Year "Lead Me On"

1990 Country Song of the Year "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus"

1992 Song of the Year "Place in This World"

1992 Artist of the Year

1994 Praise and Worship Album of the Year ''Songs from the Loft''

1996 Special Event Album of the Year ''My Utmost for His Highest''

1998 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year ''Behind the Eyes''

2000 Special Event Album of the Year ''Streams''

2003 Inspirational Album of the Year ''Legacy...Hymns & Faith''

2003 Song of the Year "The River's Gonna Keep On Rolling"

2006 Inspirational Album of the Year ''Rock of Ages...Hymns & Faith''

2007 Long Form Music Video of the Year ''Time Again...Amy Grant Live''

Special awards and recognitions

1992 ''Young Tennessean of the Year'' — Junior Chamber of Commerce

1994 ''Pax Christi Award'' — St. John University

1994 ''Harmony Award'' – Nashville Symphony

1996 ''Sarah Cannon Humanitarian Award'' – TNN Awards

1996 ''Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award'' – Columbia Hospital

1996 ''Voice of America Award'' – ASCAP

1996 ''Golden Plate Award'' – Academy of Achievement

1999 '' “An Evening with the Arts” Honor'' — The Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Symphony and Tennessee Performing Arts Center

1999 ''The Amy Grant Room for Music and Entertainment'' — The Target House at St. Jude's Children's Hospital

2001 ''Nashvillian of the Year'' — Easter Seals

2003 ''Summit Award'' — Seminar in the Rockies

2005 Inducted in the Hollywood walk of fame

2006 ''Amy Grant Performance Platform'' — Nashville Schermerhorn Symphony Center

2007 ''Charter member of Tiffany Circle'' — Red Cross

2007 Inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame

References

External links

Official Amy Grant website

Amy Grant Media Gallery

Amy Grant Partners with Compassion International

German/English Amy Grant archive website

Billboard's '6 Questions with Amy Grant'

Amy Grant, "Somewhere Down the Road" by Billboard

Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Christian religion-related songwriters Category:American members of the Churches of Christ Category:American female singers Category:American mezzo-sopranos Category:American pop singers Category:People from Augusta, Georgia Category:Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American Christians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from Nashville, Tennessee Category:Contemporary Christian music Category:Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Furman University alumni Category:American child singers Category:American performers of Christian music Category:A&M; Records artists

da:Amy Grant pdc:Amy Grant de:Amy Grant es:Amy Grant fr:Amy Grant ko:에이미 그랜트 it:Amy Grant he:איימי גרנט hu:Amy Grant mr:एमी ग्रँट nl:Amy Grant ja:エイミー・グラント no:Amy Grant pl:Amy Grant pt:Amy Grant simple:Amy Grant sk:Amy Grant fi:Amy Grant sv:Amy Grant tl:Amy Grant th:เอมี แกรนต์ tr:Amy Grant

Name	Marty Robbins
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Martin David Robinson
Born	September 26, 1925Glendale, Arizona, United States
Died	December 08, 1982Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Instrument	Guitar, piano, dobrovocals
Genre	country, gospel, pop, rock and roll, rockabilly
Occupation	Musician, songwriter, actor, NASCAR driver
Years active	1948–1982
Label	Columbia, Decca
Notable instruments	}}

Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925–December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. One of the most popular and successful country and Western singers of his era, for most of his nearly four-decade career, Robbins was rarely far from the country music charts, and several of his songs also became pop hits.

Biography

Robbins was born in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona. He was reared in a difficult family situation. His father took odd jobs to support the family of ten children. His father's drinking led to divorce in 1937. Among his warmer memories of his childhood, Robbins recalled having listened to stories of the American West told by his maternal grandfather, Texas Bob Heckle. Robbins left the troubled home at the age of 17 to serve in the United States Navy as an LCT coxswain during World War II. He was stationed in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific. To pass the time during the war, he learned to play the guitar, started writing songs, and came to love Hawaiian music.

After his discharge from the military in 1945, he began to play at local venues in Phoenix, then moved on to host his own show on KTYL. He thereafter had his own television show on KPHO-TV in Phoenix. After Little Jimmy Dickens made a guest appearance on Robbins' TV show, Dickens got Robbins a record deal with Columbia Records. Robbins became known for his appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

In addition to his recordings and performances, Robbins was an avid race car driver, competing in 35 career NASCAR races with six top 10 finishes, including the 1973 Daytona 500. In 1967, Robbins played himself in the car racing film ''Hell on Wheels''. Robbins was partial to Dodges, and owned and raced Chargers and then a 1978 Dodge Magnum. His last race was in a Junior Johnson-built 1982 Buick Regal in the Atlanta Journal 500 on November 7, 1982, the month before he died. In 1983, NASCAR honored Robbins by naming the annual race at Nashville the Marty Robbins 420. He was also the driver of the 60th Indianapolis 500 Buick Century pace car in 1976.

He ran many of the big super speedway races including Talladega Superspeedway in 1972, when he stunned the competition by turning laps that were 15 mph faster than his qualifying time. Apparently, in his motel room, Robbins had knocked the NASCAR-mandated restrictors out of his carburetor. After the race, NASCAR tried to give him the Rookie of the Race award, but Robbins would not accept it, admitting he was illegal because he "just wanted to see what it was like to run up front for once."

Robbins was awarded an honorary degree by Northern Arizona University.

On Sept. 27,1948, Robbins married Marizona Baldwin (September 11, 1930–July 10, 2001) to whom he dedicated his song "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife". They had two children, a son Ronny (born 1949) and daughter Janet (born 1959), who also followed a singing career in Los Angeles, California.

Robbins later portrayed a musician in the 1982 Clint Eastwood film ''Honkytonk Man''. Robbins died a few weeks before the film's release in December 1982 of complications following cardiac surgery. At the time of his death, Robbins lived in Brentwood in Williamson County, outside Nashville. He was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville. The city of El Paso, Texas later honored Robbins by naming a park and a recreational center after him. Marty's twin sister Mamie Ellen Robinson Minotto died on March 14, 2004, when she was part way through writing a book about her brother "Some Memories: Growing up with Marty Robbins" as remembered by Mamie Minotto, as told to Andrew Means. It was published in Jan. 2007.

Music and honors

Robbins's 1957 recording of "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. His musical accomplishments include the Grammy Award for his 1959 hit and signature song "El Paso", taken from his album ''Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs''. "El Paso" was the first song to hit #1 on the pop chart in the 1960s. It was followed up, successfully, by "Don't Worry", which reached #3 on the pop chart in 1961, becoming his third, and last, Top 10 pop hit. "El Paso" was followed by two sequels: "Feleena" and "El Paso City", both of which continued the story featured in the original song. Also in 1961, Robbins wrote the words and music and recorded "I Told the Brook," a ballad later also recorded by Billy Thorpe.

He won the Grammy Award for the Best Country & Western Recording 1961, for his follow-up album ''More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs,'' and was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1970, for "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife". Robbins was named Artist of the Decade (1960–69) by the Academy of Country Music, was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982, and was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998 for his song "El Paso".

Robbins was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975. For his contribution to the recording industry, Robbins has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6666 Hollywood Blvd.

Robbins has been honored by many bands, including the Grateful Dead who covered "El Paso". The Who's 2006 album ''Endless Wire'' includes the song "God Speaks Of Marty Robbins". The song's composer, Pete Townshend, explained that the song is about God deciding to create the universe just so he can hear some music, "and most of all, one of his best creations, Marty Robbins." The Beasts of Bourbon released a song called "The Day Marty Robbins Died" on their 1984 debut album ''The Axeman's Jazz''. Johnny Cash recorded a version of "Big Iron" as part of his American Recordings series, which is included in the ''Cash Unearthed'' box set. Both Frankie Laine and Elvis Presley, among others, recorded versions of Robbins's song "You Gave Me a Mountain", with Laine's recording reaching the pop and adult contemporary charts in 1969.

Robbins performed and recorded several songs by longtime songwriter Coleman Harwell, most notably "Thanks but No Thanks" in 1964; Robbins and his producers employed the top sessions musicians and singers including the Jordanaires to record Harwell's songs. Harwell is the nephew of former ''Nashville Tennessean'' newspaper editor Coleman Harwell.

When Robbins was recording his 1961 hit "Don't Worry", session guitarist Grady Martin accidentally created a clicking effect, believed to be caused by a bad electical element in the recording equipment during the session. Marty heard the sound and decided to keep it in the final version. The sound was in sync with the tempo. The song reached #1 on the country chart, and #3 on the pop chart.

Robbins' song "Big Iron", originally released on his 1959 album ''Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs'', gained renewed popularity following its use in the video game ''Fallout: New Vegas''.

Discography

Notes

References

IMDb Bio Retrieved on 2008-01-25

Pruett, Barbara J. ''"Marty Robbins: Fast Cars and Country Music"''. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. 2007. ISBN 0-8108-6036-8

"Fallout: New Vegas" Big Iron is used on Radio New Vegas

External links

Official Marty Robbins Web site

Robbins page at Country Music Hall of Fame

Robbins page at Western Music Association

Robbins page at Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Robbins bio by Hank Davis at ''Allmusic''

Robbins page by Gaylen Duskey at NASCAR

Category:American country guitarists Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American country singers Category:American male singers Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American racecar drivers Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Deaths from surgical complications Category:NASCAR drivers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:People from Glendale, Arizona Category:1925 births Category:1982 deaths Category:Musicians from Arizona Category:People from Nashville, Tennessee Category:Columbia Records artists Category:United States Navy sailors

ar:مارتي روبينز cs:Marty Robbins de:Marty Robbins fr:Marty Robbins no:Marty Robbins ru:Марти Роббинс simple:Marty Robbins sv:Marty Robbins

birth date	August 10, 1960 (age 51)
birth place	Málaga, Andalucia, Spain
birth name
spouse	Ana Leza (1987–95)Melanie Griffith (1996–present)
occupation	director/actor }}

José Antonio Domínguez Banderas (born August 10, 1960), better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer. He began his acting career at age 19 with a series of films by director Pedro Almodóvar and then appeared in high-profile Hollywood films including ''Assassins'', ''Evita'', ''Interview with the Vampire'', ''Philadelphia'', ''Desperado'', ''The Mask of Zorro'', ''Spy Kids'' and the ''Shrek'' sequels.

Early life

Banderas was born in Málaga, Andalucía, Spain, in 1960 to Ana Banderas, a school teacher, and José Domínguez Prieto, a police officer in the Guardia Civil. He has a younger brother, Francisco. Although the family name is Domínguez, he took his mother's surname as his stage name. He initially wanted to become a professional soccer player until a broken foot sidelined his dreams at the age of fourteen. He went on to enroll in some drama classes, eventually joining a theater troupe that toured all over Spain. His work in the theater, and his performances on the streets, eventually landed him a spot with the National Theatre of Spain.

Career

Early work, 1982–90

His acting career began at the age of 19, when he worked in small theatres during Spain’s post-dictatorial cultural movement known as the 'Movida'. While performing with the theatre, Banderas caught the attention of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, who cast the young actor in his 1982 film debut, ''Labyrinth of Passion''. Two years later he went on to appear in the director's ''Law of Desire'', making headlines with his performance as a gay man, which required him to engage in his first male-to-male onscreen kiss. After Banderas appeared in Almodóvar's 1986 ''Matador'', the director cast him in his internationally acclaimed 1988 film, ''Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown''. The recognition Banderas gained for his role increased two years later when he starred in Almodóvar's controversial ''Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!'' as a mental patient who kidnaps a porn star (Victoria Abril) and keeps her tied up until she returns his love. It was his breakthrough role in ''Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!'', that helped spur him on to Hollywood. Having become a regular feature of Almodóvar's movies all throughout the 1980s, Almodóvar is credited for helping launch Banderas's international career.

Breakthrough, 1991–94

Banderas was first introduced to the American audience in the documentary film ''Madonna: Truth or Dare'' (1991). In the film, Madonna says she wants to seduce Banderas even though she knows he is married.

The following year, still speaking minimal English, he began acting in U.S. films. Despite having to learn all his lines phonetically, Banderas still managed to turn in a critically praised performance as a struggling musician in his first American drama film, ''The Mambo Kings'' (1992).

Banderas then broke through to mainstream American audiences in the film, ''Philadelphia'' (1993), as the gay lover of AIDS-afflicted lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks). The film's success earned Banderas wide recognition, and the following year was given a role in Neil Jordan's high-profile adaptation of Anne Rice's ''Interview with the Vampire'', which allowed him to share the screen with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

Worldwide recognition, 1995–present

He appeared in several major Hollywood releases in 1995, including a starring role in the Robert Rodriguez-directed film, ''Desperado'' and the antagonist on the action film ''Assassins'' co starred with Sylvester Stallone. In 1996, he starred alongside Madonna in ''Evita'', an adaptation of the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in which he played the narrator, Che, a role played by David Essex in the original 1978 West End production. He also made success with his role as the legendary masked swordsman, Zorro in the 1998 film ''The Mask of Zorro''. He was the first Spanish actor to portray the character.

In 2001, he collaborated with Robert Rodriguez who cast him in the ''Spy Kids'' film trilogy. He also starred in Michael Cristofer's ''Original Sin'' alongside Angelina Jolie the same year. In 2002, he starred in Brian De Palma's ''Femme Fatale'' opposite Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and in Julie Taymor's ''Frida'' with Salma Hayek. In 2003, he starred in the last installment of the trilogy ''Once Upon A Time In Mexico'' (in which he appeared with Johnny Depp and Salma Hayek). Banderas' debut as a director was the poorly-received ''Crazy in Alabama'' (1999), starring his wife Melanie Griffith.

In 2003, he returned to the musical genre, appearing to great acclaim in the Broadway revival of Maury Yeston's musical ''Nine'', based on the film ''8½'', playing the prime role originated by the late Raúl Juliá. Banderas won both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards, and was nominated for the Tony Award for best actor in a musical. His performance is preserved on the Broadway cast recording released by PS Classics. The following year (2004), he received the Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).

His voice role as Puss in Boots in ''Shrek 2'', ''Shrek the Third'' and the last film in the Shrek franchise, ''Shrek Forever After'', helped make the character popular on the family film circuit. In 2005, he reprised his role as Zorro in ''The Legend of Zorro'', though this was not as successful as ''The Mask of Zorro''. In 2006, he starred in ''Take the Lead'', a high-set movie in which he played a ballroom dancing teacher. That year, he directed his second film ''El camino de los ingleses'' (English title: ''Summer Rain''), and also received the L.A. Latino International Film Festival's "Gabi" Lifetime Achievement Award on 14 October. He hosted the 600th episode of ''Saturday Night Live'' (during season 31).

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 6801 Hollywood Blvd. in 2005.

In 2011, the horror thriller ''The Skin I Live In'' marked the return of Banderas to Pedro Almodóvar, the Spanish director who launched his international career. The two had not worked together since the 1990s ''Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!'' In ''The Skin I Live In'' he breaks out of the Latin Lover mold from his Hollywood work and stars as a calculating revenge-seeking plastic surgeon following the rape of his daughter. According to the Associated Press Banderas' performance is among his strongest in recent memory. Also he once again lends his voice to Puss in Boots this time as the protagonist of the ''Shrek'' spin-off family film, ''Puss in Boots''. This film has Banderas reuniting with Salma Hayek for the sixth time.

Business activities

He has invested some of his film earnings in Andalusian products, which he promotes in Spain and the US. He owns 50% of a winery in Villalba de Duero, Burgos, Spain, called Anta Banderas, which produces red and rosé wines.

He performed a voice-over for a computer-animated bee which can be seen in the United States in television commercials for Nasonex, an allergy medication, and was seen in the 2007 Christmas advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer, a British retailer.

He has been a veteran of the perfume industry. The actor has been working with fragrance and beauty multinational company Puig for over ten years becoming one of the brand's most successful representatives. Banderas and Puig have successfully promoted a number of fragrances so far – ''Diavolo'', ''Diavolo for Women'', ''Mediterraneo'', ''Spirit'', ''Spirit for Women'', and following the success of ''Antonio and Blue Seduction for men'' in 2007, launched his latest ''Blue Seduction for Women'' the following year.

Personal life

Both Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas were married to other people when they first met. Banderas divorced his first wife, Ana Leza, and in May 14, 1996, married American actress Melanie Griffith in a private, low-key ceremony in London. They had met a year earlier while shooting ''Two Much''. They have a daughter, Stella del Carmen (b. 1996), who appeared with her parents in the 1999 film ''Crazy in Alabama'', in which Griffith starred and which Banderas directed. In 2002, the couple's dedication to philanthropy was recognized when they received the 'Stella Adler Angel Award' for their extensive charity work.

In 1996, Banderas appeared among other figures of Spanish culture in a video supporting the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party lists in the general election.

He is a long time supporter of the Málaga CF.

He is an officer (mayordomo de trono) of a Roman Catholic religious brotherhood in Málaga and travels, with his wife and daughter, during Holy Week to take part in the processions, although in an interview with ''People'' magazine Banderas had once described himself as an agnostic. In May 2010, Banderas received his honorary doctorate from the University of Málaga in the city where he was born.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |+ Actor (Movies & TV) |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | 1982 | ''Pestañas postizas'' | Antonio Juan | |- | 1982 | ''Laberinto de pasiones'' | Sadec | |- | 1983 | ''Y del seguro... líbranos Señor!'' | | |- | 1984 | ''El caso Almería'' | | |- | 1984 | ''El señor Galíndez'' | Eduardo | |- | 1984 | ''Fragmentos de interior'' | Joaquín | TV Series |- | 1984 | ''Los zancos'' | Alberto | |- | 1985 | ''Réquiem por un campesino español'' | Paco | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie ActorMurcia Week of Spanish Cinema for Best Actor |- | 1985 | ''La corte de Faraón'' | Fray José | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie ActorMurcia Week of Spanish Cinema for Best Actor |- | 1985 | ''Caso cerrado'' | Preso | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1986 | ''Matador'' | Ángel | Nominated — Goya Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Murcia Week of Spanish Cinema for Best Actor |- | 1986 | ''Puzzle'' | | |- | 1986 | ''27 horas'' | Rafa | Sant Jordi Awards for Best Spanish Actor |- | 1986 | ''Delirios de amor'' | | Sant Jordi Awards for Best Spanish ActorNominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1987 | ''La ley del deseo'' | Antonio Benítez | Sant Jordi Awards for Best Spanish ActorNominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1987 | ''Así como habían sido'' | Damián | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1988 | ''La Mujer de tu vida: La mujer feliz'' | Antonio | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best TV Actor |- | 1988 | ''Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown'' | Carlos | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1988 | ''El placer de matar'' | Luis | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1988 | ''Baton Rouge'' | Antonio | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1989 | ''Bajarse al moro'' | Alberto | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1989 | ''Si te dicen que caí'' | Marcos | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1989 | ''La Blanca Paloma'' | Mario | Valladolid International Film Festival for Best ActorFotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1989 | ''Hasta Luego Tenis'' | Jake Spicer | |- | 1989 | ''El Acto'' | Carlos | |- | 1990 | ''La otra historia de Rosendo Juárez'' | Rosendo Juárez | TV |- | 1990 | '''' | Ricky | Golden India Catalina Award for Best ActorFotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie ActorACE Awards for Best ActorNominated — Goya Awards for Best Actor |- | 1990 | ''Contra el viento'' | Juan | Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1992 | ''Una Mujer bajo la lluvia'' | Miguel | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1992 | '''' | Néstor Castillo | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie ActorNominated — Spanish Actors Union Award for Lead Performance |- | 1993 | ''Il Giovane Mussolini (Benito)'' | Benito Mussolini | TV |- | 1993 | '' (Outrage!)'' | Marcos | Nominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1993 | '''' | Pedro Tercero García | his first English-language film |- | 1993 | ''Philadelphia'' | Miguel Álvarez | |- | 1994 | ''Of Love and Shadows'' | Francisco | Nominated — NCLR Bravo Awards for Best Actor in a Feature Film |- | 1994 | ''Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles'' | Armand | |- | 1995 | ''Miami Rhapsody'' | Antonio | |- | 1995 | ''Desperado'' | El Mariachi (Manito) | Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best KissNominated — MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male |- | 1995 | ''Four Rooms'' | as Man (segment "The Misbehavers") | |- | 1995 | ''Assassins'' | Miguel Bain | |- | 1995 | ''Never Talk to Strangers'' | Tony Ramirez | |- | 1995 | ''Two Much'' | Art Dodge | Nominated — Goya Award for Best ActorNominated — Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actor |- | 1996 | ''Evita'' | Che | Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- | 1997 | ''Wag the Dog'' | Ramón | later on replaced by the real Ramón |- | 1998 | '''' | Alejandro Murrieta/Zorro | European Film Awards for Best European Actor |- | 1998 | ''Andrew Lloyd Webber's Royal Albert Hall Celebration'' | Che/Phantom | |- | 1999 | '''' | Ahmad ibn Fadlan | Nominated — ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film |- | 1999 | '''' | Morales Pittman | |- | 1999 | ''Play It to the Bone'' | César Domínguez | |- | 2001 | '''' | Father Matt Gutiérrez | |- | 2001 | ''Spy Kids'' | Gregorio Cortez | Nominated — ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion PictureNominated — Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Male Butt Kicker |- | 2001 | ''Original Sin'' | Luís Vargast | |- | 2002 | ''Femme Fatale'' | Nicolas Bardo | |- | 2002 | ''Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams'' | Gregorio Cortez | |- | 2002 | ''Frida'' | David Alfaro Siqueiros | |- | 2002 | ''Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever'' | Agent Jeremiah Ecks | |- | 2003 | ''Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' | Gregorio Cortez | |- | 2003 | ''Once Upon a Time in Mexico'' | El Mariachi | |- | 2003 | ''And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself'' | Pancho Villa | |- | 2003 | ''Imagining Argentina'' | Carlos Rueda | |- | 2004 | ''Far Far Away Idol'' | rowspan=2| Puss In Boots | Voice |- | 2004 | ''Shrek 2'' | VoiceNominated — Annie Award for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature ProductionNominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic PerformanceNominated — VES Award for Best Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture |- | 2005 | '''' | Don Alejandro de la Vega/Zorro | Nominated — |- | 2006 | ''Take the Lead'' | Pierre Dulaine | |- | 2007 | ''Bordertown'' | Díaz | |- | 2007 | ''Shrek the Third'' | Puss In Boots | Voice |- | 2008 | ''My Mom's New Boyfriend'' | Tommy Lucero / Tomas Martinez | |- | 2008 | ''The Other Man'' | Ralph (pronounced "Rafe") | |- | 2009 | ''Thick as Thieves'' | Gabriel Martin | |- | 2010 | ''Shrek Forever After'' | Puss In Boots | Voice |- | 2011 | ''The Big Bang'' | Ned Cruz | |- | 2011 | ''The Skin I Live In'' | Dr. Ledgard | |- | 2011 | ''Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World'' | Gregorio Cortez | uncredited (scenes cut) |- | 2011 | ''Puss in Boots'' | Puss in Boots | post-production |- | 2012 | ''Haywire | TBA | filming |}

+ Director & Producer
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1999	''Crazy in Alabama''	Director	ALMA Award for Best Director of a Feature FilmEuropean Film Award for Achievement in World CinemaNominated — Golden Lion for Directing
2006		Director
2008	''Missing Lynx''	Producer

Musicals on Broadway

+ Theater
Year	Play	Role	Notes
2003		Guido Contini	Theatre World Award
2011		Alexis Zorba	Broadway Revival will open in the Fall of 2011

See also

[[List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

References

External links

Antonio Banderas appointed Goodwill Ambassador at Bay Ledger

Category:1960 births Category:European Film Awards winners (people) Category:Spanish people Category:Andalusian people Category:Living people Category:People from Málaga (city) Category:Spanish film actors Category:Spanish musical theatre actors Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:GLAAD Media Awards winners

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Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Edgar Ricardo Arjona Morales
Birth date	January 19, 1964,
Genre	Latin pop, Ballad
Instrument	Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Occupation	Musician
Website	www.ricardoarjona.com }}

Edgar Ricardo Arjona Morales, (born 19 January 1964, in Jocotenango near Antigua, Guatemala), known as Ricardo Arjona (), is a Guatemalan singer. He has won two Grammy Awards from three nominations: The 2007 Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album and the 2006 Latin Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Album, both for his album ''Adentro'', (2005).

Biography and career

At the age of 8, young Ricardo could already play the guitar . He kept studying and went through a teenage rebel phase which became a problem for him at school, but never put music aside, the only thing that he enjoyed. Time went by and he never forgot the idea of becoming a professional singer.

At 21, Ricardo Arjona got the opportunity to record his first album “Dejame decir que te amo”. The recording turned out to be a bad experience for him and he decided to leave the music business. He spent some time as a teacher at a rural primary school (Santa Elena III), where he reputedly said he spent six hours giving lessons and the rest of the day playing soccer. This earned him a visit from a Ministry of Education representative, who was sent to evaluate the level of education amongst Ricardo Arjona's pupils. The representative found that the students' level of education was actually above average.

Ricardo Arjona was a talented basketball player, and he played for the team ''Leones de Marte'' and TRIAS. He also toured Central America as a member of the Guatemalan national basketball team; until recently he held the record for the most points scored (78) in a single game by a Guatemalan player.

Music was always in him and decided to try again with the launch of his second album, His musical stamp “Jesus verbo, no sustantivo” a definite consolidation as composer and singer. The album was the most sold in history on the Latin market for some Central American countries; but is still not known internationally.

Although he initially enrolled in architecture and engineering subjects, he eventually graduated with a degree from the School of Communication Sciences at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC).

At USAC there is a library hall that bears his name. There is also a street named for him in his birthplace, Jocotenango, Guatemala.

In the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he met Puerto Rican Leslie Torres and had two children with her: Adria and Ricardo. Later in 2005 they separated.

Discography

Studio Albums

Déjame Decir Que Te Amo (1985)

Jesús, Verbo No Sustantivo (1990)

Del Otro Lado del Sol (1991)

Animal Nocturno (1993)

Historias (1994)

Si El Norte Fuera El Sur (1996)

Sin Daños a Terceros (1998)

Galería Caribe (2000)

Santo Pecado (2002)

Adentro (2005)

5to Piso (2008)

Poquita Ropa (2010)

Independiente (2011)

Live Albums

Vivo (1999)

Compilations

12 Grandes Exitos (2003)

Lados B (2003)

Solo (2004)

Canciones (2005)

Quién Dijo Ayer (2007)

Simplemente Lo Mejor (2008)

Trópico (2009)

Lo Esencial De Ricardo Arjona (2010)

References

This page has been translated from the Spanish Wikipedia article Ricardo Arjona

External links

Official site

Category:1964 births Category:Guatemalan people of Spanish descent Category:People from Sacatepéquez Department Category:Guatemalan musicians Category:Living people Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Latin Grammy Award winners Category:Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala alumni

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