Gloria Estefan Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Gloria Estefan has the write stuff of legends…

The 62-year-old Cuban singer/songwriter and former Miami Sound Machine member has been nominated for the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Gloria Estefan

Estefan, a three-time Grammy winner and three-time Latin Grammy, has penned numerousinternational chart-topping hits in English and Spanish, including  “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “1-2-3,” “Don’t Wanna Lose You,” “Here We Are,” “Coming Out of the Dark,” “Con Los Años Que Me Quedan,” “Mi Tierra” and “No Me Dejes de Querer.” 

Additionally, Estefan has penned songs for other artists, including “Let’s Get Loud,” performed by Jennifer Lopez, and “Whenever Wherever,” performed by Shakira. Additionally, she co-wrote “Reach,” one of two official songs of the 1996 Atlanta Games, with Diane Warren.

In all, 24 acts are in contention for the 2020 class. In addition to Estefan, performing nominees include Patti SmithJourneyVince Gill, the Isley Brothers, former Eurythmicsmembers Annie Lennoxand Dave StewartMike LoveBread’s David Gates and Steve MillerThe Neptunes, the creative, innovative production-songwriting duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, rap icons Outkast and rock pioneers R.E.M.Mariah Carey, who co-wrote 17 of her 18 No. 1 hits and earned her first Songwriters Hall nomination last year, is up for the prize again. 

The Songwriters Hall gave The Associated Press the list of nominees Tuesday (Nov. 5), a day ahead of its official announcement.

Non-performing solo nominees are William “Mickey” StevensonRick NowelsSonny CurtisJerry FullerTony MacaulayBob McDill and Roger Nichols. Non-performing songwriting duos nominated include the late Tommy Boyceand Bobby Hart,Lynn Ahrensand Stephen FlahertyL. Russell Brownand the late Irwin Levine, and Kye Flemingand Dennis Morgan.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years. Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 51st annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 11, 2020. Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 16.

Il Divo Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart

Carlos Marin has his first No. 1 on the Latin charts…

The 47-year-old Spanish baritone and his fellow members of the classical crossover quartet Il Divo have earned their first showing on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Amor & Pasion debutsat the top of the chart (dated Dec. 5), selling 5,000 copies in the week ending Nov. 19, according to Nielsen Music.

Il Divo

The 12-track Spanish-language set strays from the majority of Il Divo’s albums, which are performed predominantly in Italian and English.

Over on the Top Classical Albums chart, Amor & Pasion enters at No. 5 — the group’s 10th top 10. Overall, Il Divo has seven No. 1s on the list with its debut self-titled album spending 29 weeks at the top in 2005.

Amor & Pasion includes classical versions of some well-known Latin tracks including “Don’t Wanna​ Lose You,” originally written and performed by Gloria Estefan. The group also interprets Julio Iglesias’ “Abrazame,” his 1975 hit from the album El Amor. Versions of Consuelo Velazquez’s “Besame Mucho” and Carlos Gardel’s “Volver” also form part of the track list.