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Marc Anthony was born in New York City to his parents who are Puerto Rican. His dear mother was a housewife and his father was a musician and hospital lunchroom worker. They were both music loving parents and he was raised Roman Catholic.
Marc started out his singing career as a session vocalist for dance music known as freestyle. His first song in 1988 was titled “Rebel” on Bluedog Records. He also sang on Freestyle songs from the album When The Night Is Over. He wrote and produced “Boy I’ve Been Told” and other freestyle hits for various artists.
In 1992 Marc changed his music genre to salsa and other Latin styles. His first three salsa albums led him to become the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and five-time Latin Grammy winner has sold upward of 12 million albums worldwide.
One of my favorite albums from 1999 is titled Marc Anthony. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard album chart and six weeks later went platinum. It eventually was certified triple platinum.
Some of my favorite songs from it are “Am I The Only One”, “My Baby You”, “No One”, “How Could I” and “Don’t Let Me Leave”.
He was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
Marc has also done noteworthy acting roles in Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead, In The Time of the Butterflies with Selma Hayek and in Tony Scott’s Man On Fire with Denzel Washington.
One of Marc’s performances that I hope you will see is a duet that he sang with Sara Evans on a show saluting the Grammy awards in July 2014. He and Sara sang “Endless Love” in a tribute to Lionel Richie. It is a YouTube video that lasts approximately 5.14 minutes. In it you will see that Marc is a really, really GOOD singer.
Putting aside all of Marc’s accomplishments and awards we need to speak about some things that are just as important. One of which is his character.
In 2012 he created the Foundation Maestro Cares which addresses the housing, academic and health challenges that orphaned children face each day in developing Latin American countries. In 2014 the organization opened its first orphanage to house children in urgent need providing a home to more than 150 children.
Back in 2011 I saw a documentary that he did with Jenifer Lopez titled Q’Viva! The Chosen. It was directed by Jamie King. The show was a Latin talent search that followed them as they traveled across 21 countries to find new talent.
During the visits to find talent Marc showed his emotions several times in so wanting to help many of these wonderful children and adults who came from meager beginnings. As in any process, only so many could be chosen. When interviewing them he heard of their hopes and dreams and he felt terrible to have to turn some down. What this showed me is he has character and a heart of gold.
I will never, ever forget those talented and good people who wanted to come to America and show us their talent. I can still see their faces before me, so filled with hope and promise. And I will never, ever forget Marc’s total caring and compassion towards them. He is a good man and such a credit to our beloved music profession.
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Source by Paul Romaine
