He has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls featuring Salsa, as well as Jazz events like the Newport Jazz Festival. His recordings have also garnered him many awards and gold albums. His success is attributed to his musical expression of his unique jibaro salsa flavor and his love for Puerto Rico.
Early life:
Héctor was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico to Pachita and Luis Perez, and raised in the Machuelito barrio of the city. He was inspired early in life by his musically talented family. His grandfather Don Juan Martínez was a singer of controversial songs, which often went from vocal conflict to physical confrontations. His uncle was a well known tres player in Ponce. His mother Pachita was well known among her family and townspeople for her beautiful singing voice. His father Luis supported his wife and eight children by singing and playing guitar with trios and big bands. Héctor would also be influenced by Puerto Rican singers such as Jesus Sanchez Erazo -also known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón"- one of the island's most successful folk singers, and Daniel Santos. Later in his life, would have the honor of recording songs with both artists.
Héctor attended the local Juan Morel Campos Public School of Music where the saxophone was the first instrument he learned to play. Among his classmates were Jose Febles and multi-instrumentalist Papo Lucca. Jose Febles wrote most of the horn charts for "Rican-Struction", considered by many to be the best album to ever come out of the New York Salsa scene. One of his teachers would strictly demand good diction, stage presence and manners from him (something that suited him well later on), claiming that as a bolero singer, Héctor would become a superstar. By the age of 14, however, Héctor dropped out of school and sang with a ten-piece band. moved permanently to New York on May 3, 1963. It would take many more years before Héctor was able to reconcile with his father.
Arrival in New York City
He met his sister Priscilla upon arrival to New York. The first thing he did in New York was visit El Barrio, New York's "Spanish Harlem." Héctor was disappointed in the condition of El Barrio which contrasted with his vision of "fancy Cadillacs, tall marble skyscrapers and tree-lined streets." Hector stayed at his sister's apartment in The Bronx instead.
The first week in New York, Héctor was invited by his friend Roberto García, a fellow musician and childhood friend, to a rehearsal of a newly formed sextet playing the romantic bolero Tus Ojos. The lead vocalist, who was singing off key, and as a gesture of goodwill, Lavoe showed the vocalist how it was supposed to sound. Impressed with his dynamic voice and stage personality, the group offered him the spot of lead vocalist, which he accepted.
Later in his career, he joined othermore well known groups in the genre, including Orquesta New York, Kako All-Stars, and Johnny Pacheco. In 1967, he met Salsa star Willie Colón.
Pacheco, co-owner of Fania Records and its recording musical director, arranged for Lavoe to record with Willie Colón on his first album El Malo. Willie never officially asked Lavoe to join his band, but after the recording, Willie said to him, "On Saturday we start at 10 p.m. at El Tropicoro Club."[need citation]
The album's success significantlytransforms both Willie's and Héctor's lives. Héctor received instant recognition, steady work and enough money to provide him with a comfortable life style. According to Lavoe, it happened so fast he didn't know how to cope with the sudden success.
Later years
With newly found success, Héctor, like many successful artists of his time such as Judy Garland, La Lupe, and Billie Holliday, became severly addicted to narcotic and prescription drugs. His addiction resulted in him showing up late for gigs, and eventually did not even show up to some appointments at all. Although Willie fired him, he tried to help Lavoe seek assistance to try to quit his habit.
In 1973, Willie Colón departed the band. Lavoe was giving the option of keeping the band together by becoming leader of his own band, which he did. Lavoe formed his own band and traveled around the world with them as well as with the Fania All-Stars. During his travels, Héctor went to Honolulu, Hawaii and ran into a young man who went by the name of Shakti. Shatki eventually became his benefactor providing him with spiritual and metaphysical wellbeing. Lavoe later found out that he befriended a very powerful yogi in disguise who was trying to open Lavoe's spiritual vision. Héctor established himself as a successful singer within a relatively short time and was recognized as a legend in his own time. With a new found spirituality, Hector eventually reconciled with his father when he finally visited his father who received him with open arms.
Despite his success, Héctor's life was plagued by tragic events, emotional turmoil and pain.
Héctor died in poverty on June 29, 1993 in New York City. The cause of death was AIDS. He was first buried in a bruial plot in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx (which ironically is the burial place of both La Lupe and Billie Holiday; until 2002 Lavoe's grave was within walking distance from La Lupe's), however in June 2002 the bodies of both Lavoe and his son (who died in 1987) were exhumed per his family's request. They were later reinterred in his native Ponce, along with his wife Nilda who passed away a few weeks prior to the burial.
Lavoe's spirit and legacy still lives on. He is one of the few Latin artists to have his life filmed into two biopics. Both films, which will be released in 2006 are produced by two of the most prominent celebrities in the musical genre. El Cantante will star salsa superstar Marc Anthony as Lavoe, and film icon (and also's Anthony's wife in real life), Jennifer Lopez as Hector's wife, Nilda (also known as "Puchi" by close friends).
Meanwhile, singer La India is producing her own biopic of Lavoe's wife with actor Raul Carbonell in the lead role. The Singer (which is a literal English translation of the first biopic) will be released in 2006 as well.
Besides these films, an off-Broadway production of his life title Quien Mato a Hector Lavoe? ("Who Killed Hector Lavoe?) was a huge success in the late 1990s. IT starred singer Domingo Quiñones in the lead role.
La Banda
Héctor Lavoe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para que entren en la bachata
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ay, todos están bien contentos
Porque les viene a tocar
De la escuela musical
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ahora tu ves ya, como todo el mundo
Contento se ha puesto ya
Tiran paso bailadores
Porque vamos a gozar
Llegaron los boricuas
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Ay vengan todo bailadores
Rumberito rumberazos
Que la banda se ha puesto buena
Y ahora si que yo voy al paso
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
Para que entren en la bachata
Eh siempre pa lante nunca pa 'tras
Ni pa' coger impulso camará
Porque yo vengo gozando
Y acabando en el solar
Ahora si, que ahora si que llego la banda
Eh bamba eh bamba eh bamba eh llego la banda
Eh traigo saoco mamita y no bailo bamba
Ay pa que goze la mazucamba
Con ritmo que se baila
Con senserro y con tambores
Señores pero que ahora que llego la banda
Eh banda banda chango ta veni llego la banda
Banda, banda banda banda que N'Klabe manda
Pa que gozen los rumberos esto no es pachanga
The song "La Banda" by Héctor Lavoe talks about a band that arrived to play salsa music and make people dance with joy. The lyrics emphasize the excitement that people feel when they hear salsa music and how it makes them want to dance. The band playing the music is described as a group of "bandiditos," which adds a cool and rebellious element to the performance. The line "llegaron los boricuas" also gives a sense of pride and celebration for Puerto Rican culture, which is often associated with salsa music.
The chorus repeats the phrase "para que entren en la bachata," which translates to "so they can get into the bachata." This line suggests that the band's ultimate goal is to get people to dance and forget about their worries. The song encourages listeners to let loose and enjoy the music, urging them to "tiran paso" or "throw steps" to the rhythm of the music.
Overall, "La Banda" is a fun and upbeat song that celebrates the power of music to bring people together and make them dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Llegó la banda tocando salsa
The band playing salsa music has arrived
Para que entren en la bachata
To get everyone in the mood for dancing bachata
Ay, todos están bien contentos
Everyone is very happy
Porque les viene a tocar
Because they have come to play for them
Un grupo de bandiditos
A group of musical outlaws
De la escuela musical
From the school of music
Ahora tu ves ya, como todo el mundo
Now you see, how everybody
Contento se ha puesto ya
Has become happy already
Tiran paso bailadores
Dancers start moving their feet
Porque vamos a gozar
Because we are going to have fun
Llegaron los boricuas
The Puerto Ricans have arrived
Ay vengan todo bailadores
Come on, all you dancers
Rumberito rumberazos
Playful rhythms and beats
Que la banda se ha puesto buena
The band has become great
Y ahora si que yo voy al paso
And now I am ready to dance
Eh siempre pa lante nunca pa 'tras
Always forward, never backward
Ni pa' coger impulso camará
Not even to gain momentum
Porque yo vengo gozando
Because I come to enjoy
Y acabando en el solar
And ending up in the neighborhood
Ahora si, que ahora si que llego la banda
Now it's for real, now that the band has arrived
Eh bamba eh bamba eh bamba eh llego la banda
The band has arrived with great energy
Eh traigo saoco mamita y no bailo bamba
I bring the flavor, but I don't dance bamba
Ay pa que goze la mazucamba
So everyone can enjoy the music
Con ritmo que se baila
With a rhythm that makes you dance
Con senserro y con tambores
With maracas and drums
Señores pero que ahora que llego la banda
Gentlemen, now that the band has arrived
Eh banda banda chango ta veni llego la banda
The band has come, bring on the dance
Banda, banda banda banda que N'Klabe manda
The band rules, as commanded by N'Klabe
Pa que gozen los rumberos esto no es pachanga
For the enjoyment of the rumba dancers, this is not just a party
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Willie Colon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gabrielbueso1307
Llegó la Banda fue compuesto por Walter Fuentes de Perú, creando la nueva versión de Willie Colón y su orquesta para que la la banda tocan su salsa
@juanmanuelrodriguez1648
Soy peruano y esta cancion me trae recuerdos yo tenia 7 años y ahora la sigo escuchando amis 52 años por q para mi Hector es unico
@ursulamedinatenicela3388
SIII ES CIERTOOO 🎉💃🏽🎵 AHORA LO BAILARE EN LA DESCARGA SALSERA EN EL BARRIO, LOS 77 DE HECTOR LAVOE 🎉🎵💃🏽🎵🎉
@marvinbuitrago2717
LA BANDA! VIVA LA RAZA LATINA EN TODO EL MUNDO ENTERO!! Paz mis hermanos.
@angelacorreaezenarro8549
🎉🎉🎉Nunca pasará de moda cada vez que escucho estos temas me parecen aun mejor 😅😅😅 ufff cuando lo bailo espectacular, llego la banda tocando salsa...............
@guscastaneda9695
Héctor Lavoe el mas grande de todos !!!!
@karinaevelynsanchezchacon6050
Llego la Banda¨ una composición del maestro Walter Fuentes, Bajista y compositor Peruano.
@bebofavela836
ENSERIO
@meryyomona5178
Excelente mejor aún con el vozarrón de Héctor Lavoe 🤗
@anselmofigueroa4929
Woww mi hermanito so whatt que quieres decir o acaso Puerto Rico no a tenido los mejores compositores te pregunto