Willy Chirino

Willy Chirino
Willy Chirino
Background information
Birth name	Wifredo José Chirino
Born	April 5, 1947 (age 77); Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río Province, Republic of Cuba
Genres	Latin; salsa; merengue;
Occupations	Singer; songwriter; musician; record producer;
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Sony; Latinum;
Website	www.willychirino.com

Willy Chirino (born April 5, 1947, in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, Cuba) is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.

Early life

Following the communist revolution in Cuba, Chirino came to the United States in 1960 as part of Operation Peter Pan, designed to save children who were being abducted by the new communist regime. This U.S. government-sponsored program, in conjunction with the Catholic Welfare Bureau, provided refuge to approximately 14,000 Cuban children who were cared for in U.S. foster homes until their parents could flee Cuba and arrive in the U.S. Chirino later recorded a song, "Nuestro Día Ya Viene Llegando" ("Our Day is Coming"), loosely based on his experiences as a refugee from communism. The song has become something of an anthem for Cuban exiles everywhere.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Chirino began his artistic career in Miami, releasing his first album in 1974. Since then, he has recorded over 20 albums, several of which have attained platinum and gold status. In 2006, his album "Son del Alma", won a Grammy for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. As founder of the Willy Chirino Foundation, his philanthropic efforts have been recognized by UNICEF and the Department of State. He celebrated his 35th anniversary in music with his latest released album "Willy Chirino Live-35th Anniversary" ("Willy Chirino En Vivo-35 Aniversario"), a CD/DVD combo of the concert. This album brought him his first nomination for Best Salsa Album at the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. Most recently, Chirino and his wife, singer-songwriter Lissette Álvarez, released their first album together, Amarraditos (Bound to One Another). The CD includes a potpourri of classic Spanish-language love songs. Chirino's album, "Pa'lante", was released at spring 2008, after which he launched a world tour. In 2011, when asked of how his recordings of My Beatles Heart, he said that Sony scrutinized every single one of his songs and their versions because they consider the songs by The Beatles as one of their most precious treasures, and wanted to make sure they were being used in a rightful manner.

In 2014, Chirino received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas for his music career.^[1]

Personal life

His first marriage was to Olga Maria Rodriguez and they bore three daughters: Angie, Olga Maria and Jessica. He later married Lissette Álvarez and had three more children: Nicolle, Alana, and Gianfranco. He has three grandchildren, Elis Regina, Andres and Dashiel. He and his wife support the Cuban dissident movement, Yo No Coopero Con La Dictadura (I Don't Cooperate with the Dictatorship).^{[citation needed]}

Discography

1974: One Man Alone
1975: Chirino
1976: Chirino 3
1977: ¿Quién Salvó la Ciudad?
1978: Evolución
1979: Come into My Music
1980: Diferente
1981: La Salsa y Yo
1982: Chirinísimo
1983: Subiendo
1985: 14 Éxitos
1985: Zarabanda
1988: Amándote
1989: Lo que Está Pa' Ti
1990: Acuarela del Caribe
1991: Oxígeno
1992: Un Tipo Típico y Sus Éxitos
1992: Mis Primeros Éxitos
1993: South Beach
1994: Oro Salsero: 20 Éxitos
1994: Brillantes
1995: Asere
1996: Antología Tropical
1997: Baila Conmigo
1997: Oro Salsero: 10 Éxitos Vol. 1
1998: Oro Salsero: 10 Éxitos Vol. 2
1998: Cuba Libre
1999: 20th Anniversary
2000: Greatest Hits
2000: Soy
2001: Afro-Disiac
2002: 15 Éxitos
2003: Serie Azul Tropical
2004: Son del Alma
2005: Cubanísimo
2005: 20 Éxitos Originales
2006: En Vivo: 35° Aniversario
2007: Amarraditos
2007: Lo Esencial
2007: Tesoros de Colección
2008: Pa' Lante
2008: Grandes Éxitos en Vivo
2011: My Beatles Heart
2011: Mis Favoritas
2012: Llegó la Navidad
2013: Soy... I Am: Mis Canciones – My Songs
2014: Serie Platino
2018: Navidad en Familia

References

^ "Willy Chirino receives award of a lifetime at the Latin GRAMMYs". Retrieved January 30, 2015.

External links

Willy Chirino at Twitter

[1] "Willy Chirino receives award of a lifetime at the Latin GRAMMYs". Retrieved January 30, 2015.

[1]