Joe Arroyo

Name: Alvaro Jose Arroyo González
Date of birth: 1 November 1955
Place of birth: Cartagena, Colombia

Joe Arroyo has always been into music,  already singing at an early age  in one of Cartagena's popular music halls. His father had 40 children, with many different women, a story that he usually tells.

In 1971 Arroyo was discovered by the bass player and singer of the band "Fruko y sus Tesos" Ernesto Estrada and signed up with Colombian record label Discos Fuentes. He performed with the band for ten years until he began his solo career in 1981 with his own band, named "La Verdad". Joe Arroyo’s success came due to his mixing of salsa, merengue, soca, kompa, zouk and other music from the African Diaspora, in a unique style and blend that earned him the epithet of Sonero de la Salsa by his critics and fans.

Due to Joe Arroyo's health problems he was thought dead because of his abrupt absences from the stage and the media.  After recovering from a 3 month long coma due to drug abuse he wrote the song A Mi Dios Todo Le Debo.

Trivia:
Joe Arroyo’s famous song "Rebelion (No Le Pegue A La Negra)" is considered one of the greatest salsa songs of all time.

Discography:
1990 Echao Pa'lante
1991 El Super Congo
1996 Mi Libertad
1999 Cruzando el Milenio
2002 Los Magnificos de la Salsa
 

By Lourd Vijay
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About the Author: Lourd Vijay is the principal Promoter of Latin culture, music and dance in the Asian Region. He recently stood 10th at the “most Popular Entrepreneur of the year 2009” amongst 180 nominees from across the country. An innovative choreographer and a very able instructor, he is the director of the Lourd Vijay’s Dance Studios (www.lvds.in) in India.