Muniz was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Since he was a small boy, he showed musical talent, specifically as a romantic singer. He joined a trio and moved to Ciudad Juarez at age thirteen. He traveled extensively around Mexico, combining his singing assignments with odd jobs (he worked at a bakery once) and even became the valet for Libertad Lamarque and Benny Moré until he settled in Mexico City and organized a trio.
Muniz's first album was a tribute to singers of other eras. It was titled "Aquellas Canciones!" ("Those (old) Songs!"), and it was released in 1946. That was the first of close to 80 albums, all of which he recorded under the BMG or RCA Internacional labels.
During the 1960s, Muniz recorded his first solo albums, which became hits all over Latin America. He eventually moved back to Guadalajara, where he still lives.
In 1965, he began an uninterrupted streak of years traveling to Puerto Rico's Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan around Christmas, to offer concerts there (at one time, Muñiz claimed he was such a regular at the hotel that could figure out his way out of any of the hotel's suites and out of the facility blindfolded). This lasted close to thirty years. Muñiz has since returned for yearly shows at the Caribe Hilton, this time around Mother's Day.
In 1967 he was playing a hotel nightclub in Caracas, Venezuela, and left the facility during one of his breaks. A bomb exploded at the nightclub, demolishing the stage and killing various musicians. Muñiz escaped unharmed.
Muñiz's concerts are usually held in the more private atmosphere of hotel salons, but he has also performed at large stadiums and coliseums throughout his career.
Among the albums recorded by Muniz are "Marco Antonio Muniz con Los Trovadores del Caribe" ("Marco Antonio Muniz with The Trovadores del Caribe") which was his fourth album, "Mi Novia es Guadalajara!" ("Guadalajara is my Girlfriend!"), which was his fifth, "Salsa a la Manera de..." ("Salsa, Marco Antonio's Way...", which represented his first foray into the Salsa rhythm), 1991's "Mi Borinquen Querido" ("My Dear Borinquen", where he played homage to Puerto Rican autochthonous music), a 1993 dedication to Pedro Infante, and a 1997 album and CD which was dedicated to Jose Alfredo Jimenez.
Apart from his multiple albums and concerts, Muniz has also appeared several times on television shows across Latin America, but, especially, in his native Mexico and his beloved Puerto Rico.
His son, "Coque Muñiz" is also a very famous Mexican entertainment personality, as a show host and comedian at various Televisa television shows.
Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony (real name: Marco Antonio Muniz) was named Marco Antonio by his father after Marco Antonio Muniz. Anthony changed his name to the artistic name of Marc Anthony in order to prevent public confusion between him and the Mexican singer. In addition, New York State Senator, Jose Marco Serrano was given his middle name as a tribute to Marco Antonio Muniz. Both Marc Anthony's and Senator Serrano's parents are Puerto Rican.
Por Amor
Marco Antonio Muñiz Lyrics
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en la faz de la tierra
por amor hay quien haya querido
regalar una estrella.
Por amor fue una vez
al calvario con una cruz acuesta
aquel que tambi
én por amor
dijo que amáramos al prójimo como a nosotros mismos.
These lyrics from Marco Antonio Muñiz's song Por Amor convey the message that love is the driving force behind many of the actions that people undertake. The lyrics speak of how love inspires people to create and to give, using examples such as the creation of humans and the gifting of a star. The lyrics also reference Jesus Christ, who carried the cross to Calvary as a symbol of how he loved humanity. Lastly, the lyrics mention the idea of loving one's neighbor as oneself, highlighting how love is not just an individual experience but also a communal one.
The song Por Amor has been performed by many legendary Latin American artists such as Marco Antonio Muñiz, Vicente Fernández and José José. It was originally released in 1975 and continues to be a popular song today. Interestingly, this song was originally a bolero in Spanish, but several artists have since covered it in other genres, including ballads and pop music. The song has been covered in many languages as well, including English, Portuguese and Urdu.
Contributed by Kylie F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.