Calle 13
Photo: Rich Polk/Getty Images
18th Latin GRAMMY Awards: 18 Things You Didn't Know
The Biggest Night in Latin Music is a big deal worldwide.
Last year's 17th Latin GRAMMY Awards broadcast reached tens of millions of viewers around the globe, while ranking as the No. 1 most social program of the day worldwide.
To get ready for the upcoming 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards telecast in Las Vegas on Nov. 16, here are 18 things you might be surprised to learn about the Latin Recording Academy and the Biggest Night in Latin Music.
1. 5 Cities Have Hosted The Latin GRAMMYs
The Latin GRAMMY Awards telecast has taken place in five cities in the United States: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Houston, and Las Vegas. The inaugural Latin GRAMMY Awards kicked off in Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2000; the upcoming 18th Latin GRAMMYs will mark the tenth show in Las Vegas.
The show has taken place inside 10 different venues: Staples Center, Conga Room (see No. 6), Kodak Theatre, and Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles; American Airlines Arena in Miami, Toyota Center in Houston; Madison Square Garden in New York; and Mandalay Bay Events Center, MGM Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
2. The Telecast Launched In English
The Latin GRAMMY Awards started on CBS, the longtime home of the GRAMMY Awards, in 2000 and was broadcast in English. In 2005 the Latin Recording Academy secured a deal to televise the show on Univision in Spanish, which has been the home for the show in the United States ever since.
3. Someone From The Block First Appeared On The Latin GRAMMY Stage
Following a brief intro from hosts Andy García, Jimmy Smits and Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez took center stage to introduce the first-ever performance at the 1st Latin GRAMMY Awards on Sept. 13, 2000. Lopez, who arrived with Sean "Diddy" Combs, was fresh from causing one of the biggest fashion splashes in GRAMMY history with her famous green Versace dress at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 23, 2000.
4. A Performance Debut Fit For A Mambo King
Speaking of the first performance, a troupe of all-stars teamed at the inaugural Latin GRAMMYs for an unforgettable tribute to the Mambo King, Tito Puente, who died May 31, 2000. Ricky Martin led with a medley of "Para Los Rumberos" and "Oye Como Va"/ "Guarjira" before giving way to Gloria Estefan and Celia Cruz, who performed "Quimbara" and "La Bobo." Joining in on the fun were Tito Puente Jr., Cachao, Michel Camilo, Arturo Ortiz, Dave Valentin, Arturo Sandoval, Sheila E., and David Sanchez.
5. And The First Latin GRAMMY Went To …
Who did the first Latin GRAMMY Award go to on the first-ever telecast? Juan Luis Guerra Y 440 took home Best Merengue Performance for "Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual."
6. The 2nd Latin GRAMMY Awards And Sept. 11
The sophomore installment of the Latin GRAMMY Awards was scheduled to take place at the Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 11, 2001. In light of the tragic events of that day, the Latin Recording Academy canceled the show. The winners were subsequently honored at a special press conference on Oct. 30, 2001, at the Conga Room in Los Angeles. Spain's Alejandro Sanz earned four awards, including Record and Song Of The Year, and Colombian singer/songwriter Juanes won three awards, including Best New Artist.
7. George Lopez Hosted Two Latin GRAMMY Shows
The Mexican-American comedian presided over two consecutive shows: the 4th and 5th Latin GRAMMY Awards in 2003 and 2004. Lopez also got in on the musical fun. He jammed with Ozomatli on guitar on "Esa Morena" at the 5th Latin GRAMMYs. "This group's so ethnically diverse, that they get pulled over no matter who's driving," joked Lopez prior to the performance.
8. Juan Gabriel's Unforgettable Performance
The fabled Mexican composer and showman Juan Gabriel turned in the longest performance in Latin GRAMMY history in 2009. Juan Gabriel, who was set for a seven-minute performance, kept going for nearly 40 minutes, thrilling the audience and viewers alike. That same year, he was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.
9. Most Performances On The Latin GRAMMYs
Ricky Martin has performed the most on the Latin GRAMMY telecast to date, with 11 performances. Martin was among the performers for the first-ever telecast performance. He's since teamed with the likes of Blue Man Group, Draco Rosa, Miguel Bosé, and Camila for a series of unforgettable duets. Most recently, at the 16th telecast, Martin performed twice: a solo medley of "Disparo Al Corazón" and "La Mordidita" and a duet with Wisin on "Que Se Sienta El Deseo."
10. Which Group Has Won The Most Latin GRAMMYs?
Calle 13 — Eduardo Cabra (Visitante) and René Pérez (Residente) — have won the most trophies in Latin GRAMMY history. The Latin rap duo has won 22 Latin GRAMMYs to date, including a record haul of nine awards at the 12th Latin GRAMMYs on Nov. 10, 2012. That night Calle 13 won Album, Record and Song Of The Year for Entren Los Que Quieran and its title track.
11. What About The Most Nominations?
As the saying goes, it's an honor just to be nominated. Cabra (Visitante) has been honored 37 times, marking the most Latin GRAMMY nominations to date. The Spaniard Sanz is second with 33 nominations.
12. The General Four Categories Feature 10 Nominees Each
In 2012 the Latin Recording Academy announced an expansion to 10 nominees each for the General Four categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist. The move, which was ratified by the Latin Academy Board of Trustees, was due in part to the fact that the Latin GRAMMY Awards process receives nominations from multiple countries around the world.
13. The Latin Recording Academy Has How Many Members?
A member-based organization, the Latin Recording Academy has grown to approximately 4,000 members as of 2017, representing diverse Fields such as Pop, Urban, Rock, Tropical, Classical, Singer-Songwriter, Brazilian, Regional Mexican, Traditional, and more.
14. The Latin Academy Membership Represents Nearly 40 Countries
A true reflection of the variety of Latin music subgenres that spans the globe, Latin Recording Academy members represent nearly 40 different countries worldwide, including Spain, Portugal, Puerto Rico and the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Panama.
15. Millions In Scholarships For The Next Generation Of Latin Music Makers
As the educational arm of the Latin Recording Academy, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation's mission is anchored by a scholarship program to students of Latin music with financial needs. Since 2015 the Foundation has committed a robust $2.5 million in scholarships. The Prodigy Scholarship program counts artist support from Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra and Miguel Bosé.
16. The Latin GRAMMY Awards Receives How Many Entries?
The Latin GRAMMY Awards currently honor recipients in 48 categories, from Record Of The Year to Best Long Form Music Video. In 2017 the Latin Academy received almost 10,000 entries for the Awards process for the 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards.
17. Special Awards For Special Latin Icons
Instituted in 2004, the Latin Recording Academy bestows Special Awards annually to performers and other creative professionals who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording during their careers. Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include icons such as Armando Manzanero, Mocedades, José Feliciano, Rita Moreno, Los Lobos, Djavan, Angélica María, and Piero; Trustees Awards recipients include notables Rafael Escalona, Yomo Toro, Simón Díaz, and Humberto Gatica. The 2017 recipients, among others, include João Bosco, Ilan Chester, Víctor Heredia, and Los Del Río.
18. The Latin Person Of The Year Represents 10 Countries
A flagship Latin GRAMMY Week event, the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honors a Latin artist for their significant music and philanthropic contributions. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefit the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. A diverse roster of recipients spanning 10 countries have received the award: Emilio Estefan Jr. (Cuba), Julio Iglesias (Spain), Vicente Fernández (Mexico), Gilberto Gil (Brazil), Carlos Santana (U.S.), José José (Mexico), Ricky Martin (Puerto Rico), Juan Luis Guerra (Dominican Republic), Gloria Estefan (Cuba), Juan Gabriel (Mexico), Plácido Domingo (Spain), Shakira (Colombia), Caetano Veloso (Brazil), Miguel Bosé (Panama), Joan Manuel Serrat (Spain), Roberto Carlos (Brazil), and Marc Anthony (United States). The 2017 honoree is Spain's Sanz.
