Joe Arroyo

Álvaro José Arroyo González (also known as Joe Arroyo or El Joe; 1 November 1955 – 26 July 2011) was a Colombian salsa and tropical music singer, composer and songwriter. Considered one of the greatest performers of Caribbean music in his country.

Life and career

1955-1971: Early life

Joe Arroyo was born in Cartagena. Born and raised in the neighborhood Nariño in Cartagena, Arroyo began his career at an early age, at the age of eight when he sang in brothels in Tesco, a red-light zone in his hometown. In the beginning he sang with groups like "Los Caporales del Magdalena", "Manuel Villanueva y su Orquesta", "La Protesta" and "Super Combo Los Diamantes", in 1971 he recorded with "La Promiscua".

1971-2000: Early career

In 1971 Arroyo had his biggest opportunity of becoming a nationally known artist. He was discovered by Julio Ernesto Estrada, the bass player and director of the band Fruko y sus Tesos and signed up with Colombian record label Discos Fuentes.^[1] He performed with the band for ten years until 1981 when he began his solo career leading his band, named "La Verdad" (The truth).

Joe Arroyo became very successful by mixing salsa, cumbia, porro, soca, compas (or konpa), zouk and other music from the African Diaspora in a unique style. Some of his most famous songs are "Rebelión","La noche" "Tania", "El Ausente" and "En Barranquilla me Quedo.

2000-2011: Health issues and drug abuse

Arroyo was forced to cancel several performances due to his health problems. On more than one occasion, he was thought to be dead because of his abrupt absences from media attention. Joe Arroyo had to go through surgery because of problems with his eyes.

He was once seriously ill for about 3 months due to a problem with his thyroid even though many had attributed it to drug abuse, which the singer denied in Rolling Stone magazine, Argentina in January 2004.

Death

Arroyo died in Barranquilla on 26 July 2011, after spending nearly a month in hospital due to multiorgan failure. During his stay in the hospital his health deteriorated. The day before his death, doctors announced the singer was suffering from several organ failures including renal and heart failure and he was given his final sacrament by the local bishop. The singer died at 7:45 local time.^[2]

Legacy

Between June and December 2011 the RCN channel broadcast a soap opera based on the singer's life called The Joe "The Legend". On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer.^[3][4]

Discography

• Arroyando (1981)
• Con Gusto y Gana (1981)
• El Campeón (1982)
• Actuando (1983)
• Hasta Amanecé (1984)
• Me le Fugué a la Candela (1985)
• Musa Original (1986)
• Echao Pa´lante (1987)
• Fuego en mi Mente (1998)
• En Acción (1989)
• El Supercongo/La guerra de los callados (1990)
• Toque de Clase (1991)
• Fuego (1993)
• Sus Razones Tendrá (1995)
• Mi Libertad (1996)
• Reinando en Vida (1997)
• Deja Que Te Cante (1998)
• Cruzando El Milenio (1999)
• En Sol Mayor (2000)
• Marcando Terreno (2001)
• Se Armo la Moña en Carnaval (2005)
• El Súper Joe (2007)

Awards and nominations

Latin Grammy Awards

A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Joe Arroyo received two nominations, in 2011 he presented the award to the career but the award was posthumous..

References

External links & tributes

• See Geotrigona joearroyoi, a new species of bee from Colombia named in tribute to Joe Arroyo

• Info and Images
• Video of Joe Arroyo
• Obituary in El Tiempo (in Spanish)