Singer. Born the son of Francisca Pachita Martínez and Luis Pérez in Ponce, Puetro Rico. He attended the Ponce Free School of Music. By the age of 14, he was singing with a band, and he opted to drop out of school. At 17, he landed a position as lead singer in a bolero band. He parleyed that exposure into a gig with Orquesta New York, then as vocalist with Kako and his All-Stars, and then Johnny Pacheco before recording with Willie Colón on his first album 'El Malo.' With the success of the album, they were catapulted into stardom, but in 1973, Colón left the band, giving Lavoe the opportunity to be the lead. By 1974, he had taken over, and produced his first solo album, 'La Voz'. He also performed with the Fania All-Stars. His albums included 'Comedia' (1978), 'El Sabio' (1980), 'Vigilante' (1983), and 'Revento' (1985). Bouts of depression and a growing drug problem were exacerbated by the deaths of his father and mother-in-law, and the accidental shooting death of his teen aged son in 1987. After a suicide attempt in 1988, he was diagnosed with HIV, the result of sharing needles with fellow drug users. That year he was also nominated for a Grammy Award for his recording 'Lavoe Strikes Back,' and in June, made a second suicide attempt; injuries combined with addiction and illness assured he never fully recovered. In 1990, he appeared at the Meadowlands with the Fania All-Stars, but was unable to perform. He died in a Manhattan hospital at age 46, from complications due to AIDS. He was buried near his son's grave in Saint Raymond's in the Bronx. In 2002 the bodies were exhumed at his family's request and reburied in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His life was depicted in two separate films, 'El Cantante' (2006) and 'Lavoe' (2011).
Singer. Born the son of Francisca Pachita Martínez and Luis Pérez in Ponce, Puetro Rico. He attended the Ponce Free School of Music. By the age of 14, he was singing with a band, and he opted to drop out of school. At 17, he landed a position as lead singer in a bolero band. He parleyed that exposure into a gig with Orquesta New York, then as vocalist with Kako and his All-Stars, and then Johnny Pacheco before recording with Willie Colón on his first album 'El Malo.' With the success of the album, they were catapulted into stardom, but in 1973, Colón left the band, giving Lavoe the opportunity to be the lead. By 1974, he had taken over, and produced his first solo album, 'La Voz'. He also performed with the Fania All-Stars. His albums included 'Comedia' (1978), 'El Sabio' (1980), 'Vigilante' (1983), and 'Revento' (1985). Bouts of depression and a growing drug problem were exacerbated by the deaths of his father and mother-in-law, and the accidental shooting death of his teen aged son in 1987. After a suicide attempt in 1988, he was diagnosed with HIV, the result of sharing needles with fellow drug users. That year he was also nominated for a Grammy Award for his recording 'Lavoe Strikes Back,' and in June, made a second suicide attempt; injuries combined with addiction and illness assured he never fully recovered. In 1990, he appeared at the Meadowlands with the Fania All-Stars, but was unable to perform. He died in a Manhattan hospital at age 46, from complications due to AIDS. He was buried near his son's grave in Saint Raymond's in the Bronx. In 2002 the bodies were exhumed at his family's request and reburied in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His life was depicted in two separate films, 'El Cantante' (2006) and 'Lavoe' (2011).
Bio by: Iola
Family Members
Children
Advertisement
See more Lavoe memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
