Estefan to be Inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan’s name is being added to the annals of Latin music history…

The 56-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter and seven-time Grammy Award winner has been named as a Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee.

Gloria Estefan

Estefan, one of the top 100 best selling music artists with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide, rose to acclaim as the lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine.

But the “Conga” singer, the female artist with most No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, earned critical acclaim for penning some of her biggest solo hits in English and Spanish, including “Cuts Both Ways,” “Always Tomorrow,” “Coming Out of the Dark,” “No Llores” and “Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice).”

Estefan also co-wrote Shakira’s hit single “Whenever, Wherever” with the Colombian superstar and Tim Mitchell and co-wrote Jennifer Lopez’s signature song “Let’s Get Loud.”

In addition to Estefan, Ricardo Arjona, Juan Luis Guerra, Panamanian composer Omar Alfanno, Spanish pop songwriter Rafael Pérez Botija and Mexican singer/songwriter Lolita de la Colina will also be honored at this year’s induction ceremony — known as La Musa Awards —  taking place on October 18 at Miami Beach’s Ritz Carlton hotel.

The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame debuted in 2013 with a black tie gala honoring well-known Latin music figures including Jose Feliciano, Julio Iglesias and composer Armando Manzanero.

Founded by songwriters and producers Desmond Child and Rudy Perez, the goal of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame is to “honor the world’s greatest Latin songwriters and their music in every genre.”

Gloria & Emilio Estefan Developing Broadway Show About Their Lives…

The Miami Sound Machine could be conga’ing all the way to New York City…

Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan are looking to develop a Broadway stage musical inspired by their lives, and they’ve partnered with theater operator Nederlander Organization to make it happen, the couple announced Tuesday.

Gloria & Emilio Estefan

The 55-year-old “Queen of Latin Pop,” her 59-year-old music producer husband and Nederlander officials should be revealing the creative team behind the new production in the near future.

“We are very excited to share this story, which is based on hope, determination and the belief that with hard work and passion, our dreams can become our reality,” the Estefans said in a press statement. “Our music has been a true reflection of who we are, where we came from and the journey that has brought us to where we are today.”

The Nederlander Organization, the nation’s largest operator of theatres and other music venues, will partner  with Bernie Yuman, producer of Siegfried & Roy‘s Las Vegas production, to bring the new project to life.

“I am thrilled to collaborate with Gloria and Emilio to see their amazing story come to fruition on the Broadway stage,” said organization president Jimmy Nederlander. “The Estefans’ journey of success, led by raw talent and passion, is captivating as it drove them from relative obscurity to global sensations.”

The husband-and-wife team, both born in Cuba, struck it big with crossover hits like “Conga,” “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” and “Cuts Both Ways.”

Estefan is one of the top 100 best selling music artists of all time, having sold an estimated 90 million records worldwide. She’s a three-time Grammy winner and four-time  Latin Grammy winner, and is considered the most successful crossover artist in Latin music.

Meanwhile, Estefan’s husband was named Producer of the Year at the 2000 Latin Grammys for his work on Charlie Zaa’s Ciego de Amor, Carlos VivesEl Amor de Mi Tierra and the song “Da la Vuelta” by Marc Anthony.

Their breakthrough success in the English-language marker helped pave the way for several Latin artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, John Secada and Shakira.