To fully appreciate an Eddie Palmieri show, it helps to see it twice. First, catch the pianist outdoors at New York's Lincoln Center and soak in the space and balance between the septet. Later, head downtown to Blue Note and behold the same ensemble—with the horns mere feet from your face. The effect, as Palmieri said during a recent Blue Note set, is of "a herd of elephants, or 99 Mack trucks."

Why is this music so viscerally overwhelming, capable of pulling your head in seven directions while maintaining precision? It's simple, Palmieri says during a recent phone call. "After I take a piano solo, I give it to one of the drummers and then we synchronize," he tells GRAMMY.com. "And when the horns come in, I guarantee you I'm going to put you to dance in your seat!"

Now, music fans of all backgrounds can watch that equation play out before them. If you're on the East Coast, Palmieri's current run of shows at the West Village institution are a masterclass in swinging and dancing rhythms. 

His next Blue Note gigs are August 2 and 16—and if you can't make those, there are bound to be more. Because, to hear Palmieri tell it, traveling overseas is an ordeal at 84—and the Blue Note is his temple for now. "We're very fortunate to perform at the greatest jazz club in the world," Palmieri says humbly. "But when I'm playing there," he adds with an audible grin, "It's the greatest Latin jazz club in the world!" 

GRAMMY.com caught up with the 10-time GRAMMY winner and 14-time nominee to discuss his 60-year career, the lessons he learned along the way and why the Blue Note is, in his words, "the greatest jazz room in the world."

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This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

How are you, Mr. Palmieri?

Never been better, my man!

That's good to hear!

Never been. Ever!

Why do you say that? Having a particularly good day?

It's just wonderful to be alive under the conditions that exist. There's so much danger out there and unfortunately, that virus has affected the whole planet. At my age, I've seen so much, but never anything like this. 

There was a bandleader called Vicentico Valdés. That was the singer for Tito Puente in the '50s when my brother, Charlie Palmieri, played piano also for Tito Puente, for two years. Vicentico Valdés made his own orchestra in 1954; I joined in 1956. He taught me this. He said, "Palmieri, remember this. It's dangerous to be alive, but you can't live if you're dead." You know what I mean?

I'm happy to be so healthy and alive and that I can perform. I celebrate that every day.

While the virus remains a threat throughout much of the world, it's calmed down significantly stateside. How does it feel to be onstage again?

Well, you know, the pandemic is still around. That variant is still around. Now, they want to give you a booster and it could be like that for many more years, which is unfortunate. But that's what we have to deal with. It's the most wonderful feeling that I could have ever had [to be back onstage]. We didn't perform for a year and four months, at all.

I thank the gods for the Blue Note that gave us these five engagements. We did two in the summer, July 4 and 5. Then, we're going there on the 19th. Then, we have two more in August, and that's it.

The agency that I work with, Kurland, coming out of Boston, has all the jazz greats in there. Because of the pandemic, by the time they start booking for next year, that means that we're not going to be working until 2023. So, it's been a situation of two and a half years of financial drought because there's no income coming in.

It made it completely hard on every musician. Broadway closed. It changed music in seconds, unfortunately. But there's a saying that without music, the world would be flat.

I was at the Lincoln Center gig and loved it. What's the difference in energy between playing a giant outdoor show like that and the Blue Note?

We did Lincoln Center outdoors and there was a select crowd. They had to get a COVID test. We did that and it was great to play again. But to answer your question, the reason is also that on July 4 and 5, we broke the record playing at the Blue Note. No one put as many people as we put in there July 4 and 5 because we put over 750 people—around there—in four shows. 

So, it wasn't expected. I expected it because of the long time [since] we had performed. I predict that on the 19th that it'll be a sellout, the two shows. I predict that for sure because people are hungry to hear the music and we're very fortunate to perform at the greatest jazz club in the world. But when I'm playing there, it's the greatest Latin jazz club in the world!

The difference is the rhythm section! I call our jazz the fusion of the 21st century mainly because of the rhythm section that stems from Africa. That's called the 8/8 series, and we play in 4/4 time, 6/8 time or 2/4 time. The 8/8 series came from Africa when the captives were brought by force all over the Caribbean and South America.

But I'm talking about one island: Cuba! Cuba was the most incredible cultural exchange between the Spanish and the Africans. Out of that cultural exchange came the mulatto, and the mulatto put the world to dance with the drum. The drum is the pulse of my life. It can make el rumbero del piano, and that's because I'm a percussionist at heart.

I started playing timbale when I was 13 years old, which is the drum in the rhythm section and what creates the rhythmical tension and resistance. Put them together, and you'll reach the high degree of a musical climax—a rhythmical and harmonic climax. After I take a piano solo, I give it to one of the drummers and then we synchronize.

That creates tension and resistance. It starts to swell. And when the horns come in, I guarantee you I'm going to put you to dance in your seat! And like I say as always, that's because I comprehend well the African rhythm, and that African rhythm will always getcha.

Tell me about the material you're performing at these gigs. With your debut album turning 60 soon, does it feel like it's time to look back and survey your career? Or are you more interested in the future?

No, no, no. You've always got to look forward. That's for sure. But the recordings that I have done—remember that my forte was with the big band, OK? Always with the big band.

When I started my orchestra, the trombone was important. [We had] a genius called Barry Rogers, another genius called Jose Rodrigues, a Brazilian. Two trombones up front, a wooden flute, a singer. Timbale and bongo—that was played by one man, Manny Oquendo. Then, we had a conga player, Tommy López, and a bass player, Dave Pérez. Then, Jose Rodrigues came in and then Dave Pérez came in again.

When I was presenting the music, my structures for Latin jazz were danceable. I'm a dance orchestra leader. When we played the Palladium Ballroom, the greatest ballroom in the history of Latin music that started in 1949—and I closed it in 1966; I started playing there in 1963—you had a thousand people dancing. I'm wanting to put people to dance, and little by little, that is the way. 

My wife, who passed away in 2013—Iraida Palmieri—told me: Look at the writing on the wall. The Latin music that you play is not what they're playing now. They have watered it down to a disaster and put it on commercial radio.

When I was a young man, commercial radio had the Machito Orchestra, the Tito Puente Orchestra, the Tito Rodriguez Orchestra coming on commercial radio. But when you turn on commercial radio now, you've got to run to the pharmacy to try to get the largest bottle of Pepto-Bismol because of what you're hearing! That's how bad it is!

So my wife says, "If you can do Latin jazz, then do it. That will extend your career and keep you going with employment." She was completely right. We did the first one, [1994's] Palmas, with the great [trumpeter] Brian Lynch, [saxophonist] Donald Harrison—Chief Donald Harrison from New Orleans! And a great trombone player, Conrad Herwig.

Eddie Palmieri. Photo: Rob Davidson Media

We did three albums. We did Palmas, [1995's] Arete and [1996's] Vortex. Then, I went back to Latin dance music with [1998's] El Rombero Del Piano. Then, before Tito Puente passed away, that was [2000's] Masterpiece. Then, Tito passed away and we never went on tour after that because he died right after the album was done. So, we keep going and keep going and keep going.

Now, the Blue Note has given me the opportunity to present my new works and the new arrangements I'm doing. I really appreciate the home I have at the Blue Note. I'd like to keep something out because if I keep something out, I can have it—more important—at the Blue Note. 

Which helps me, because at my age—look, I've played five continents already! We've done more than 2,500 concerts since I started going to Europe, and that's many, many years ago. I started in 1974. Being home means a lot to me—staying home and not traveling so much. 

Those trips are very hard to do. We went to Australia five times, Japan seven or eight times. That's 13 hours. When you go to Australia, it's 27 hours. You've got to do 13 hours, then you stay overnight and fly over the Indian Ocean for four more hours. Because from Sydney to Perth is a thousand miles longer than New York to California. It's 4,000 miles. Unbelievable!

So, we did all that. We went to Africa. All over Europe. The body can only take so much. I like to stay more local, and that would be the Blue Note for me. That's why the Blue Note means everything to me. I love the Blue Note very, very much and what they've done for me. 

I hope we can extend these with more and more presentations there with my septet, which is an amazing septet. And that's it for now. You know what I mean?

I do. You're staying here and settling in at your chosen home.

Well, yeah. We're talking about the greatest jazz room in the world! And at the same time, I've played the one in China. I've played the one in Japan four or five times. Then, we went to the one in Italy, in Milan. Now, I want to do the one I'm missing in Hawaii! I want to go, but that's a little bit of a tremendous, long trip.

I'm a Blue Note member. I appreciate them calling me because when we play there, we play hard and we play very good. We've started to pack them in. And when you start packing in the hall, then you've got yourself employment, and that's what I'm after. Health and employment have been my prayers always. I'm 84; I'll be 85 in December. The great Chocolate Armenteros taught me that after 50, you have to start counting by one again. So, I'm 34—I'll be 35 in December!

I'm a happy camper with all my experience. I would say my brother was the pianist; I'm the piano player. It's an incredible story between two brothers who loved each other very much. He died at 60 years young. I've made it my business to not only extend my legacy as far as what I do, but to live as long as I possibly can because there's so much work to do.

Right now, I'm recording a young lady called Arlene G. A lot of this is now back to dance music, and it's going to be a great composition that I did for her. It's going to turn out to be another album. What I want to do at the end of the year is Harlem River Drive, Vol. 2. The new one will be Poverty is the Parent of Wars and Crime.

The importance of staying healthy and alive to me means everything as I reach this stage. Let me put it this way: The great Pablo Casals from Spain—the greatest cellist in the world—was 92. The reporters asked him, "Maestro, at 92, when you've been acclaimed as the greatest cellist alive in the world, why do you keep practicing?" His answer was so simple and so true: "I hear progress." 

So, I hear progress in my playing and see progress in my writing. I'm writing some new compositions with exchanges for five horns. Things that I'm doing and experimenting with. I'm still healthy enough to perform, and that's all of it in a nutshell. Would you agree?

Yes, absolutely. Do you feel that the future of Latin jazz is in good hands? You mentioned that young musician you're working with.

Oh, yeah. Latin jazz is the fusion of the 21st century.

Great talking to you, Mr. Palmieri.

I think you've got enough for a book, my man!

For The Record: Celebrating Cuban Sensation & Queen Of Salsa Celia Cruz

"Oh no, I’m going to start crying again," says La Santa Cecilia singer La Marisoul during a touching scene in Alma Bohemia, the documentary directed by Carlos Pérez honoring the Los Angeles band’s 15 year anniversary. 

As it turns out, there are many reasons to be emotional about this film — and the very existence of La Santa Cecilia in the contemporary Latin music landscape. Fittingly, Alma Bohemia was received enthusiastically by the capacity audience during an exclusive screening on April 3 at the GRAMMY Museum’s Clive Davis Theater in Los Angeles. 

Formed by La Marisoul (real name is Marisol Hernández), bassist Alex Bendaña, accordionist and requinto player José "Pepe" Carlos and percussionist Miguel "Oso" Ramírez, La Santa Cecilia was for years one of the best kept secrets in the Los Angeles music scene.  As close friends and musicians, they won over audiences with an organic, down-to-earth sound and a lovely songbook that draws from traditional formats such as bolero, ranchera and nueva canción.

Alma Bohemia follows the making of La Santa’s 2023 album, Cuatro Copas Bohemia en la Finca Altozano. A celebration of the band’s longevity, the session also functions as a subtle, yet powerful musical experiment. It was recorded at the Finca Altozano in Baja California, where the band members stayed as guests of celebrated chef Javier Plascencia — a longtime fan.

Argentine producer Sebastián Krys — the band’s longtime collaborator — calls this his Alan Lomax experiment. The album was recorded live on tape with a variety of strategically placed microphones capturing hints of ambient sonics — a sweet afternoon breeze, the clinking of glasses, the musicians’ banter, the soft sounds that accompany stillness. 

From the very beginning, the making of Cuatro Copas mirrors the band’s bohemian cosmovision: A communal approach where the quartet — together with carefully selected guest stars — get together to share the magic of creation, the unity of like-minded souls, homemade food, and more than a couple of drinks. In effect, the bottles of mezcal and never ending rounds of toasting quickly become a running joke throughout the documentary.

La Marisoul’s fragile lament is enveloped in spiraling lines of mournful electric guitars with soulful understatement on the track "Almohada." Guest artists liven things up, with Oaxacan sister duo Dueto Dos Rosas adding urgency to "Pescadores de Ensenada," while son jarocho master Patricio Hidalgo ventures into a lilting (yet hopeful) "Yo Vengo A Ofrecer Mi Corazón," the ‘90s Argentine rock anthem by Fito Páez.

Visibly delighted to be part of the bohemia, 60-year-old ranchera diva Aida Cuevas steals the show with her rousing rendition of "Cuatro Copas," the José Alfredo Jiménez classic. "Viva México!" she exclaims as the entire group sits around a bonfire at night, forging the past and future of Mexican American music into one.

Read more: La Santa Cecilia Perform "Someday, Someday New"

Following the screening, the band sat down for a Q&A session hosted by journalist Betto Arcos. Sitting on the first row, a visibly moved young woman from El Salvador thanked the band for helping her to cope with the complex web of feelings entailed in migrating from Latin America. La Santa’s songs, she said, reminded her of the loving abuelita who stayed behind.

"We love the old boleros and rancheras," said La Marisoul. "We became musicians by playing many of those songs in small clubs and quinceañeras. It’s a repertoire that we love, and I don’t think that will ever change."

Carlos touched on his experience being a member of Santa Cecilia for about seven years before he was able to secure legal status in the U.S. When the band started to get concert bookings in Texas, they would take long detours on their drives to avoid the possibility of being stopped by the authorities. Carlos thanked his wife Ana for the emotional support she provided during those difficult years.

Ramírez took the opportunity to acknowledge producer Krys for being an early champion of the band. "He had a vision, and he made us better," he said, flashing forward to a recent edition of the Vive Latino festival. "There were about 12,000 people to see us," he said. "And they were singing along to our tunes."

"The band is just an excuse to hang out with your friends," added La Marisoul just before La Santa performed two live songs. Her voice sounded luminous and defiant in the theater’s intimate space, always the protagonist in the group’s delicately layered arrangements.

"The first time I got to see the finished documentary, I felt proud of all the work we’ve done together," said producer Krys from his Los Angeles studio the day after the screening. "On the other hand, there’s a lot of work ahead of us. I believe La Santa Cecilia deserves wider exposure. They should be up there among the greatest artists in Latin music."

Martha Reeves Takes L.A.: The "Queen Of Motown" Shares Memories Of Smokey Robinson, Her Solo Career & Finally Receiving A Hollywood Star

Spanish singer/songwriter Pablo Alborán has a unique history with the Latin GRAMMYs. Although he receives a nomination for each album he releases, he has yet to win a golden gramophone. 

At the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, Alborán was the Spaniard with the most nominations. He received a total of five nominations, including Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and Song Of The Year. Yet on the Biggest Night In Latin Music, none of the envelopes that announced the winner had Alborán's name. Since 2011, he has been nominated 29 times without a win; his most meaningful accomplishment, however, is the freedom to continue making music and having untiring support from his family, friends, and fans. 

"Refer to last year's #LatinGRAMMY post," Alborán wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), followed by a series of smiling emojis after the ceremony.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, Alborán's 2022 album La Cu4rta Hoja is nominated for Best Latin Pop Album. The record competes against Don Juan by Maluma, A Ciegas from Paula Arena, Pedro Capó's La Neta, Gaby Moreno's X Mí (Vol. 1), and Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1 by AleMor.

During his Latin American tour, Alborán sat down with GRAMMY.com via Zoom to speak about the lessons from La Cu4rta Hoja, his history with the Latin GRAMMYs, and his return to the stages in the United States.

In 2011, you received your first Latin GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist, Best Male Pop Vocal Album for his self-titled debut LP, and Song Of The Year for "Solamente tú." What do you remember from that ceremony?

When they told me about the Latin GRAMMYs; it was an enormous thrill. I wasn't familiar with the Latin GRAMMY because my career just started. They called me and said, 'Hey, Demi Lovato is going to sing with you,' which was also very intense. 

I remember taking my parents [to Las Vegas], which was the terrible part because they dressed formally. My mother looked like Cinderella, my father looked like a prince, my brother... They were all there and seated a little farther from us. When they announced the winners…I looked back, and my parents' faces, poor things, they looked as if I had been killed. [Laughs.]They were outraged, trying to pretend they were okay so I wouldn't see them upset. I had Sie7e and his wife sitting next to me, the happiness they felt when he won the Best New Artist award; I was shocked at how happy and excited they were. 

I was genuinely happy, suddenly seeing their happiness after so much work. I understand there's a competitive aspect; we're human beings, but I've been watching the Latin GRAMMYs for many years, living how it is, enjoying, learning to enjoy under pressure.

Unlike in the past, you had no talismans for the 24th Latin GRAMMYs ceremony. Although you did not use any at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, you often use talismans such as eagles, twins, and silver clothes for luck. When did this practice start? It appeared that it became an obsession, as you constantly searched for signs everywhere.

It was a way to protect myself and hang on to something and, of course, be able to let go of it as well. Thank goodness I didn't win the Latin GRAMMY when I had all the eagle signs; otherwise, my house would be filled with eagle talismans (laughs). I could see myself getting hooked on the eagle stuff. We must put everything into perspective and live the experience without overthinking. I try not to be too superstitious about anything, anyway, because it's a kind of slavery.

It has been a year since the release of La Cu4rta Hoja. What have you learned from the album and its 11 songs?

Each album is a journey; it is a new experience. Each album teaches you something different, and this one has taught me to live at the speed of musical consumption and not lose the essence in the middle of this journey. 

Being able to innovate while simultaneously maintaining your roots and supporting what you like in music —that balance will always be more challenging to maintain due to what surrounds you, the speed with which music is consumed, and the fact that millions of songs are released weekly. There are times when that effort is more challenging and other times, it is effortless. 

Touring gives me the illusion of seeing an audience that wants to feel the songs regardless of their style. People want to feel and want to see their feelings reflected in the lyrics and the music. And that reminds me why I make music and why I am here. 

Have you been surprised by reactions to any particular song from La Cu4rta Hoja?

"A Batir las Alas" surprised me a lot during concerts because it is a very personal song and, at the same time, a little strange… The lyrics, the way of singing it, the structure, and the response from the people in concerts were excellent. 

"Voraces" also surprised me a lot. It is the third song on the show's setlist. It amazes me that people sing and like it since it is a song that wasn't a single and has a strange concept; it's like a tanguillo [an upbeat and catchy flamenco palo] and, simultaneously, a chacarera [a polyrhythmic Argentinean folk subgenre].

You've always been involved with producing your albums, but you've taken a more prominent role in your last two albums. Why was that? 

In [2020's] Vértigo, I worked remotely, which was challenging. That album was very complicated to put together because I worked with Julio Reyes Copello from Miami, the strings were made in Prague, and my guitarists were in [Spain]. It was a fun process on the one hand but cold on the other. I felt like things were lost. I learned a lot on that album as well. In the end, you know how you want your song to sound, so you have to be very involved. 

On this last album, some songs didn't change much from the demo I produced at home. We wanted to stick with that first idea…playing it live and improving some things. But that production was already done. For example, "A Batir las Alas" worked with a guitar and a string, and there was not even a drum; there was barely a bass. It is a reasonably large ballad, yet we wanted to make it small. There are other times that the producer's work obviously, no matter how much I am involved, [is needed].

What do you like the most about producing?

The freedom. You feel an absence of judgment, an absence of limits. I can spend hours in the studio without eating, without seeing anyone, working with the musicians and the producers, or whoever is there. It feels like anything is possible — not because you know that the process can change suddenly, but because you know that what you produce, maybe you will hear again the next day, and it seems like a disaster, or it could be the best thing in the world.

So I really enjoyed it, knowing that moment was mine and that of those who were there, no one would hear it or give their opinion. Once it's finished, that song is no longer mine; it belongs to everyone. But it is enjoyable to feel that you are jumping into the void and that you are going to fall into the water.

La Cu4rta Hoja was created during your last tour. Has the album inspired you to create new songs?

There are ideas... When I'm on the plane, I spend hours listening to the voice notes on my phone, which are ideas [for] millions of songs I have. I'm in the hotel room, coming from a show or going to a show, and an idea comes to mind, and I record it and then review it. 

Silence is indeed necessary to create. So, I am very focused on giving 100 percent on this tour. There are many trips, many countries. It is the longest, almost the most extended tour we are doing, and then when I return home, and I am in that silence and in that tranquility, everything I am experiencing will explode. There are a lot of emotions and inputs that I'm receiving that I still can't capture because I'm non-stop.

This is the most extensive tour you will do in the United States. What is it like preparing for all those dates? You will go to cities you've never performed in before.

There's a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. We were already in the United States a few years ago, and it was necessary to come back, and the fact that people want it is a gift to me. 

Different things happen at each concert, the repertoire changes, and we let ourselves be carried away by what happens and the place we are in. We also sing versions, maybe a song by a local artist, and in the United States, I'm excited to do some covers of things I already have in mind.

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are right around the corner — and as always, inspired Latin musical offerings will lie within the heart of the list.

While the Recording Academy’s sister academy, the Latin Recording Academy, naturally honors this world most comprehensively, it plays a crucial role in the GRAMMYs landscape just as in that of the Latin GRAMMYs — and there’s been crossover time and time again!

On Nov. 10, the world will behold nominations in all categories — including several within the Latin, Global, African, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, or Chant field. Within the world of Latin music, the awards are: Best Latin Pop Album, Best Música Urbana Album, Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album, Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano), and Best Tropical Latin Album. The Recording Academy also offers a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz album, though that award is a part of a different field. 

Like the Recording Academy and GRAMMYs themselves, these categories have evolved over the years. Along the way, various Latin music luminaries have forged milestones in Academy history.

Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs nominations, here are some key facts to know about Latin music’s history at the GRAMMYs.

The First Award For Latin Music At The GRAMMYs Was Given In 1975

The first winner for Best Latin Recording was pianist and composer Eddie Palmieri, for 1974’s The Sun of Latin Music. Now an eight-time GRAMMY winner, Palmieri took home the golden gramophone in this category at both the 1976 GRAMMYs and the following year for Unfinished Masterpiece.

At the 1980 GRAMMYs, the first group winner was the thrice nominated Afro-Cuban jazz band Irakere, for their 1978 self-titled debut.

Percussionist Mongo Santamaria holds the record for the most nominations within the Best Latin Recording category.

The Sound Of Latin Pop — And The Title Of The Award — Has Shifted Over 40 Years  

Back in 1983, this category was called Best Latin Pop Performance. The first winner was José Feliciano, who took home the golden gramophone for his album Me Enamoré at the 26th GRAMMY Awards.

Best Latin Pop Performance eventually pivoted to Best Latin Pop Album and Best Latin Pop or Urban Album, then back to Best Latin Pop Album — just another example of how the Academy continually strives for precision and inclusion in its categories.

As for most wins, it’s a tie between Feliciano and Alejandro Sanz, at four. Feliciano also holds the distinction of having two consecutive wins, at the 1990 and 1991 GRAMMYs.

The Best Latin Urban Album Category Was Introduced In 2007

The first winner in this category was the urban hip-hop outfit Calle 13, for their 2007 album Residente o Visitante.

The first female nominee was Vanessa Bañuelos, a member of the Latin rap trio La Sinfonia, who were nominated for Best Latin Urban Album for their 2008 self-titled album at the 2009 GRAMMYs.

Here’s Who Dominated The Best Norteño Album Category

The first GRAMMY winner in the Best Norteño Album category was Los Tigres Del Norte, for their 2006 album Historias Que Contar, at the 2007 GRAMMYs. To date, they have landed four consecutive wins — at the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 GRAMMYs.

The Intersection Between Latin, Rock & Alternative Has Shifted

Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album; Best Latin Rock, Alternative Or Urban Album; Best Latin Rock/Alternative Performance… so on and so forth.

If that’s a mouthful, again, that shows how the Academy continually hones in on a musical sphere for inclusion and accuracy’s sake.

Within this shifting category, the first winner was Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, who won Best Latin Rock/Alternative Performance for 1997’s Fabulosos Calavera at the 1998 GRAMMYs.

At the 2016 GRAMMYs, there was a tie for the golden gramophone for Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album, between Natalia Lafourcade and Pitbull. Overall, the most wins underneath this umbrella go to Maná, with a total of three.

These Artists Made History In Tropical Latin Categories

Over the years, this component of Latin music has been honored with GRAMMYs for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Performance, Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album, Best Tropical Latin Performance, and Best Tropical Latin Album.

The first winner of a GRAMMY for Best Tropical Latin Performance was Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble, for "On Broadway," from the 1983 album of the same name.

Under the same category, the first female winner was Celia Cruz, for "Ritmo En El Corazón." Overall, Rubén Blades has taken home the most GRAMMYs under this umbrella, with a total of six.

This Was The First Latin Artist To Win Album Of The Year

Ten-time GRAMMY winner and 14-time nominee Carlos Santana holds this distinction for 1999’s "Supernatural," at the 2000 GRAMMYs.

This Was The First Spanish-Language Album To Be Nominated For Album Of The Year

That would be Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti, at the 2023 GRAMMYs; Bad Bunny also performed at the ceremony, but Harry Styles ended up taking home that golden gramophone.

Ditto Música Mexicana — Formerly Known As Best Regional Mexican Music Album

Música mexicana — a broad descriptor of regional sounds, including Tejano — is having a moment in recent years, which points to the incredibly rich GRAMMYs legacy of these musical worlds.

The first winner for Best Mexican-American Performance was Los Lobos, for 1983’s "Anselma." For Best Regional Mexican or Tejano Album, that was Pepe Aguilar, for 2010’s "Bicentenario."

The Inaugural Trophy For Best Música Urbana Album Went To…

The one and only Bad Bunny, for 2020’s El Último Tour Del Mundo. He took home the golden gramophone again at the 2023 GRAMMYs for Un Verano Sin Ti. 

Keep checking back as more information comes out about the 2024 GRAMMYs — and how the Recording Academy will honor and elevate Latin genres once again!

What's Next For Latin Music? A Roundtable Discussion About Reggaetón, Indie Acts, Regional Sounds & More

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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