Rudy Pérez

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Rudy Amado Pérez (born May 17, 1958) is a Cuban-born American musician, songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, sound engineer, musical director (leading, per example, the voice of the singers on some songs) and singer,^[1] so well as entertainment entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose area of specialty is ballads (although he also worked in a variety of genres).

During the last 30 years, he has produced more than 70 albums,^[2] composed over 1,000 songs (over 300 of which have been #1 or have reached to the Top 10 Charts), and has written and produced music for popular international artists such as José Feliciano, Julio Iglesias, Luis Miguel, Raúl di Blasio, Jaci Velasquez, Cristian Castro, Christina Aguilera, Michael Bolton, Luis Fonsi, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Il Divo, and Beyoncé, between others.^[3] Having won many music awards throughout his career (Gold and Platinum records, billboard,etc.), he has been voted the most important Latin composer four time (four years) and won the title of Producer of the Decade in 2010, awarded by Billboard to the most successful producer which has held over ten years the public's preference lists. Also, he is the first Latin producer to win Billboard's Producer of the Year award four years in a row.^[4]

As an entrepreneur, Pérez owns the record labels Rudy Pérez Enterprises (RPE),^[5] and Bullseye Productions,^[6] and is a founding partner and the Chief Creative Officer of DiGa Entertainment (with who also collaborate to produce music videos with music fans). He was instrumental in the production of the premiere of the inaugural Latin Grammy Awards of 2000^[7][8] and was also one of the founders of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)'s Latin Council.^[8] In addition, Pérez (along with Desmond Child) created, in April 2013, the Pabellón de la Fama de los Compositores Latinos (in Spanish: Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame – LSHOF), in Miami Beach, to honor the most important Latino composers and to drive to continue creating Latin music.^[9]

Early years

Liberty City was the African American neighborhood where Perez was raised from age 9

Rudy Pérez was born in May 17, 1958,^[1][10] in Pinar del Río, Cuba,^[10][11] to a Baptist parents ^[12](his grandfather was a Baptist minister).^[1][8] Pérez's father, Rudy Amado, was a painter,^[10] religious minister and a writer,^[13] who served as lieutenant in the army of Cuban former president, Fulgencio Batista, and was imprisoned following the Cuban Revolution of 1957, due to his involvement in prior conflict with Castro's communist forces. The remainder of his family consisted of his mother, Elsa Pérez,^[12] a seamstress,^[10] who made fine clothes and baskets,^[13] and three siblings (two sisters and a brother).^[7] When Pérez was nine years old, his family emigrated to the United States (US),^{[4][11][note 1]} leaving their home country to flee the political regime of Castro. The Pérez family moved to Miami, settling initially down in a refugee camp,^[8] but soon after settled in Liberty City.^[4][8][11]

Pérez learned to sing and play instruments in the Baptist church that his family attended.

Pérez discovered his interest for music as a child,^[11][15] being his musical influences the Bolero and Rock Music.^[6] So, he began singing at two years of age (it is reported that he was able to sing in perfect tune with the songs that he listened to)^[11][15] and he used any object like a musical instrument.^[1][15] However, it was after hearing the music of Frédéric Chopin´s pianist^[4] that Pérez was inspired to become a musician and learn to play the piano. Pérez began singing and playing in the choir at the neighborhood Baptist church since the same year that his family arrived in the US,^[7][11] under the tutelage of the ministers, who taught him to sing, as well as how to play the guitar and piano.^[8] Pérez was also influenced by the African-American community, being subsequently introduced to R&B and gospel music.^[7][11]

At age twelve, Pérez worked for a company that manufactured barbed wire^[1][8] to buy an electric guitar (since his parents, according to Pérez, could not afford to pay for it).^[1][8] After a year of work he eventually was able to buy the guitar as his first musical instrument,^[1][8] although, according Pérez, he could not play it for three months due to the hand injuries he received working at the factory. He then began private guitar lessons.^[8] Throughout his teenage years he worked at hardware stores, gas stations and as valet to buy his instruments and amplifiers.^[13]

Pearly Queen

Pérez quit school^[7] to join several rock bands^[1][7][8] in his neighborhood, until he was invited to join the group Pearly Queen^{[1][7][13][16]} (a Top 40 cover band that was popular in Miami in 1973) when he was 15 years of age. Pearly Queen sang in English and were required to play the "hit" songs at the time. The group won a contract to play for the Big Daddy Flanigan Clubs in both the US and Canada (90 venues), playing five sets per night for five or six nights per week. The interpretations of the band in the Big Daddy Flanigan clubs, provided to Perez an introduction to music production, as he was responsible for the arrangements of the versions that the band played; So, Perez decided to study the arrangement and the recording of music.^[7] The band pitched two albums: "Treasure Hunt" (in 1974) and "Disco?" (in 1976) and had four singles and EPs: "Miénteme" (Move On), "Quit Jive' In" (Jungle Walk), "Adoro" (More) and "Understanding" (Young In Love; Yo Lo Comprendo).^[17] He stayed in the group for five years and, at age twenty, left the group to produce and write songs for local Latino singers in Miami.^[7]

Composer´s career

Miami Sound Studios and songwriter career starts

Later, he began working as a gofer at Miami Sound Studios, in studies of Carlos Diaz-Granados (doing things such as clean the studio or fetching food for the people who worked there),^[7][8][11] He literally lived in the studio for two years,^[1] according Perez, because he was just going through a divorce. So, he lived, cleaned and slept here.^[1][11] There, he "watched and learned all the details".^[1] and he could learn engineering.^[1][11][16] Later, in 1983, he began working at Pablo Cano’s studios Clímax,^[1] in North Miami on 30th Street,^[1][11][16] where he worked as an unpiad intern,^[18] and was allowed to live at the studio for a year and a half. He continued looking at the details of the recordings of albums and songs that made other artists, including the children themselves Cano, as he did in studies of Carlos Diaz-Granados,^[1] plus record them to learn and practice.^[19] He was determined to record his own songs and not just do demos for his friends.^[7]

According to Perez, he was discovered by Pablo Cano's niece, when she heard him perform a song he had composed. She showed Pablo Cano, a ballad that Pérez had written and he decided to hire him^[8][18] permanently, "paying him a good salary",^[18] to make an album with him. So, he got his first opportunity as a composer: Cano offered him to record with a band and to submit him to a company of musical albums. The band composed four songs,^[1] and Perez gave his songs to top arrangers who would ask for his material. After a while, however, he wasn't "comfortable" with the changes being made in a of the songs and he decided to make this song the way he "felt them".^[8][16] In addition, during this time, he began working with other artists who he met at the studio, such as Roberto Carlos and Gloria Estefan, and continued studying music.^[8][18] Finally, in 1983, Pérez released the album "¿Qué voy a hacer sin tí?" (What am I going to do without you?), with a promotional song of same title. Jose Menendez, who was working at RCA Records at the time, heard the album and decided to hire him.

This is when he became a producer. A few weeks later, while he was on a promotional tour of his manager, Pablo Cano, in Puerto Rico, he met José Feliciano, to who Menendez him had played their version of "¿Qué voy a hacer sin tí?". Feliciano asked him to produce his next album.^{[1][7][8][11][16]} Pérez produced most of Feliciano's "Ya soy tuyo"´s album (I'm already yours) and it reached number one with the song "Me has echado al olvido" (you have thrown me into oblivion).^{[1][7][11][16]} This album also won two Grammy Awards Nominations for the Producer of album and song "Ella" (She) in 1985. The album also marked Feliciano’s return to the elite of Latin Music and Pérez turned into a professor of production and musical composition of their albums for two decades.^[7][16]

Composer and producer´s career since 1986

José Feliciano was the first singer to who Pérez produced.

The Pérez´s album, "¿Qué voy a hacer sin tí?" was awarded with a Gold record.^[13] In addition, in 1986, Pérez, earned a Grammy Award as Producer in the "Best Latin Pop Performance" category with the José Feliciano’s “Ya Soy Tuyo” ("I am already for you") song, and in 1988 Billboard named him "Producer of Year"^[20] for the first time. The success of his work with Feliciano, opened the door for him to work with other singers (getting the call of them to work with him).^[3][10] In 1992, EMI hired him to collaborate in the production of the record "Aries" by Luis Miguel, which meant he had to sign an exclusivity contract preventing him from producing for others until 1997.^[1] In this time, in 1993, he won another Grammy Award as Producer and Songwriter for the "Best Latin Pop Album" Aries, by Luis Miguel, and the following year, Rudy Pérez pitched his follow album, after ¿Qué voy a hacer sin tí?:^[3][10]"Rudy"^[21] (also known as "Sencillos y otros"; in English: Singles and others), whose most sounded song was "Mi manera de querer" (My way of loving), although the album was not many successful and Perez decided to focus only on his career as a composer.^[3][10]

In 1997, after his contract with EMI came to an end, Pérez wrote and produced the album "Lo Mejor De Mi" for Mexican singer Cristian Castro,^[1][3][10] an album that have the hits of same name ^[3][10](a song which remained during more of 90 weeks on the charts), "Después de Ti...¿Qué?" (dedicated to his mother, the day dedicated to mothers, who died of cancer later^[18]), and "Si Tú Me Amaras". This album reached #1 on Hot Latin Tracks of 1997 and received a Grammy Award nomination for Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album of 1998. The title track was included in the 1999 compilation, Billboard Latin Music Awards Superstar Hits. The chart-topping album, along with Millie’s "De hoy En Adelante" and "Una Voz en el Alma", also composed by Rudy Pérez, won him ASCAP Awards in 2000.

In that year (1997) Ricky Martin right also reached #1 on Hot Latin Tracks of 1997 and was included in the 1999 compilation recording Billboard Latin Music Awards Superstar Hits. In 1999 he also got the Ace Awards for "Senor Bolero" for "Album of the Year" recorded by José Feliciano and a concession of the dove through the production of the album by Christian artist Jaci Velasquez "Llegar A Ti". This album featured the ballad "Solo Tú" which made the top 10 on Billboard's Latin chart. That year, he gets the ASCAP Award for "Songwriter of the Year".

In 2000, Rudy Pérez produced the album by Luis Fonsi, "Eterno" ^[3][6][10] composing seven of the thirteen songs on the album, including the hit "Imagíname Sin Ti" and its English version (Imagine me without you). ^{[note 2]}

In 2001, due to the success of their production of Spanish album by Jaci Velasquez in 1999, Pérez decides to produce Spanish-language album by Christina Aguilera "Mi Reflejo", for which he came into contact with Ron Fair RCA. This album became one of the more successful albums in Spanish in the world, selling 1 million copies in the U.S. and another 2.5 million in the rest of the world, and won the 2001 Latin Grammy for "Best Female Pop Album".^[3][6][10] The success of this album and the Grammy Award he received, allowed him to work with Anglophone artists in the United States and the world, producing and composing songs in Spanish for singers and bands like Westlife or Michael Bolton.^[3][6][10]

After Pérez's work in the Spanish songs of these artists, they decided that he also worked with them in their songs in English. Thus, his work with Jaci Velasquez produced the song "Imagine Me Without You", which was adapted into English of the song produced earlier for he to Luis Fonsi "Imagíname sin tí" and it was nominated for a CMA - Dove Award for Best Song of the Year.^[3][6][10] In 2002, Pérez also wrote the song “I Wanna Hear You Say It” for the English album "Michael Bolton", of the same singer. The tracks were co-written and co-produced by Pérez along with Bolton and Billy Mann.^[3] However, he also worked in some English songs of others English- speakers singers (or other singers not Hispanics) such as Charlie Williams (in the song If You Should Leave Me) or Julia Kova (Don´t go for anything but love).

Many of his songs have become top ten hits. In 2002, the song he produced for Pilar Montenegro, "Quítame ese hombre", was the first to reach number 1, remaining in this position for 13 consecutive weeks.^[3][10] After this, he continued composing and producing songs that have also reached No. 1 on it.^[3] Like in the Pilar Montenegro's song, another of his songs have reached number one, remaining for many weeks, as is the case of the song "El Dolor De Tu Presencia" by Jennifer Peña, also produced in 2002, remaining at No. 1 for nine weeks.^{[3][10] [note 3]}

In this year, Rudy Pérez also worked on the Jordi´s album "Tú no sospechas" (in Spanish: "You have no idea"), in which he was responsible for 11 tracks. The album was released on October 8, 2002, to which was added a 1st single which gave title track, produced by veteran stars as Alejandro Jaén.^[3] The song "Tú no sospechas" was the only song on the album that sounded all over the U.S. and some countries of Latin America, appearing on the most important charts in these countries.^[22] In 2004, Rudy Pérez created his own record label: Rudy Pérez Enterprises, RPE.^[5]

In 2005, Rudy Pérez was elected as a Latino producer / songwriter of the year. He also wrote songs on all Il Divo's albums and, between 2006-2007, he produced Beyoncé's Spanish album "Irreemplazable", nominated for Grammy.^[5]

More late, in September 2009, he also launched the record lavel Bullseye Productions,^[6] his second discography. In January 2010 he won the "Producer of the Decade" award from Billboard, for his constant success over ten years in public preference lists.^[4]

In 2012, Pérez released his third album "Lo mejor de mí" ("The best of me"), a compilation of many of the songs he composed for other singers, interpreted by him.^[19] Later on, Pérez produced the first Spanish language album of American singer Natalie Cole: Natalie Cole en Español, released on 25 June 2013.^[23] In 2014, Pérez released the single "Despues de ti... ¿Qué?", sung by himself on the day of mothers.

Music in other media

Rudy Pérez has also composed and produced numerous songs for other medias,^[3] such as film soundtracks and TV soundtracks (songs for television).^[7] So, he have played in movies, soap operas, sitcoms, world music specials, commercials or music television channels such as temporary officers. Pérez Pérez also worked with some advertising companies writing and producing songs for their ads. Thus, he was hired by AT&T for which he wrote and produced the songs´s music for the "True Voice" and "Leadership" advertising campaigns, that was sung by the Cuban singer Jon Secada. Thus Perez also wrote the original theme song for Univision, which was produced in 1995 and is still being used today.^[3] He also composed the central theme of the Beverly Hills, 90210 special Valentine, "Come as you are".^[16][24] In 1992 he was hired by Disney to work on pre-production on the song "Colors of the Wind" for the animated film "Pocahontas".

But his songs have been directed not only to singers, cinema and television: Between the end of the 1990s and early in the 21st century, he wrote and produced the official Olympic song to the Telemundo's Olympic coverage in English and Spanish, which was sung by Michelangelo Mejia.^[3]

Pérez also wrote the theme "Vamos al Mundial" (Let´s go to the World Cup), the official song of the 2002 World Cup, which was sung by Jennifer Peña.^[10]

In 2007, Pérez produced the Amor Gitano song to the soap opera Zorro, La Espada y la Rosa, recorded as a duet by Alejandro Fernández and Beyonce,^[25] and in 2011, wrote the "La fuerza del destino" song with Mauricio Abaroa Suzarte, sung by Marc Anthony and Sandra Echeverría for the soap opera of the same title.

According to the journalist J. Freedorm du Lac his singles also been used for various themes such as "breakups, makeups, courtships, wedding dances, babymaking, proms, self-pity sessions and bouts of teenage melodrama".^[10]

Other projects

On April 23, 2007, the global electronic community elHood.com announced a collaboration with Rudy Pérez and DiGa Entertainment (of the that is a founding partner and Chief Creative Officer). This union allows Perez to produce a series of musical projects directly with music fans. The first project was an album for singer and actress Pilar Montenegro. During a competition organized by elHood, fans accessing the site of the singer, will hear the models presented by publishers for the new album from singer, vote for your favorite songs and send their reactions to the songs. The Singer choose a fan from the contestants to join him and Perez in the studio during the album production. elhood transmit the video process exclusive and regular reports on the official website of singer. Users can vote for this stage for your favorite songs on the page or through their mobile phones or phone cards. DIGA Entertainment, which Perez is Chief Creative Officer, together with Epana, service company marketing and communications aimed at the Hispanic market at a national level, promote the contest with a new marketing technology that reaches some seven million Mexican consumers per month through phone cards and approximately 35 million pre-recorded announcements.^[5]

Pérez was one of the founders of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)'s Latin Council.^[8] In addition, he and Desmond Child created the Pabellón de la Fama de los Compositores Latinos (in Spanish: Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame – LSHOF),^[9][26] which opened on October 2012, in Miami Beach, to honor the most important Latino composers (those whose first success was made ago more than 20 years^[27]). Furthermore, according to them, the nonprofit organization's mission "is to educate, preserve, honor and celebrate the legacy of the greatest Latin songwriters from all over the world and their music in every genre while developing and inspiring new songwriters through workshops, showcases, scholarships and digital initiatives.^[9]

The Hall of Fame has a nominating committee that was created to choose 24 names of Spanish and Portuguese, of which five will be selected as winners.^[28] The award is a statuette, "The Muse", that reflects his long history in music, already that for a composer, artist or song to be considered, must be at least 20 years on the air.

The Foundation was officially registered in 2012, and is in the development of the headquarters building, which will be a museum in the city of Miami that will show everything related to Latin music, learn about the great composers, history behind the songs and performers, as well as other educational information. The museum sponsored by the American Songwriters Hall of Fame, will offer several projects from art galleries and music, educational workshops, music classes and composition, educational scholarships and even composition contests. Even Perez and Child plan to expand this foundation to Mexico and Argentina. Possibly museum doors opened in 2014. The foundation plans to recognize music icons, first at composition and then in other categories in music. On April 23, 2013, the first awards gala was held in Miami, honoring seven iconic songwriters, including Manuel Alejandro, Jose Feliciano, Jose Angel Espinoza “Ferrusquilla,” Julio Iglesias, Armando Manzanero, Concha Valdes Miranda, and a posthumous recognition award to Roberto Cantoral.^[27]

Currently, Perez also is working on a book with thousands of stories about many of the artists he has worked with.^[12]

Awards and Recognitions

His compositions have reached numerous top ten hits during it last 20 years (over 300 of which have been #1 or have reached to the Top 10 Charts) and some of them have remained in the top position of the charts for many consecutive weeks (between 9 and 13 weeks), such as those aforementioned "Quitame ese hombre" (of Pilar Montenegro. 13 weeks in the top position of the charts) and "El Dolor de tu precensia" (Jennifer Peña. 9 weeks in the top position of the charts).^[3][10] So, he won the Hot Latin Songs, being also the first Hispanic composer and producer to win this award,^[3] and he was chosen as producer of the year for four consecutive years.^[4] In indeed, he is also the first Latino producer who has won the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks Producer of the Year for four consecutive years. Perez has also been awarded ASCAP songwriter of the year by 5 times.^[29]

Rudy Pérez was the first president of the Florida branch of NARAS

The success of the songs he has composed and produced did him earned 30 gold records and 50 platinum. In addition, his work has been nominated, to long of his career, for 19 Latin Grammy,^[7] of which he won 5.^[2][7] Considered one of the "most outstanding creators" in the field of international pop music,^[3] also has been voted the most important Latin composer and won the title of "Producer of the Decade" in 2010, awarded by Billboard magazine for having the most number of songs at number # 1 and Top Ten Hits from 2000 to 2010, more than any other producer in Latino history.^[29] He was also elected the first president of the Florida branch (that now is a full chapter) of NARAS.^[7][8]

In addition, Perez has received more than 400 awards for albums that have reached gold and platinum sales.^[29]

Philanthropy

In 2003, Perez launched a scholarship program of the ASCAP Foundation (Rudy Pérez Songwriting), which allows for Hispanic songwriters with great talent, but without resources and with a little success in his compositions, to study at prestigious music schools worldwide. So, he presented a check in the amount of 25,000 dollars for the start of the first scholarship. The scholarship rotates annually among students from five universities. Those are the key points of the music industry: The first scholarship is awarded in Miami, and the others are given to the Juilliard School of Music at New York, the National Conservatory of Music at Puerto Rico and High School of Art and music at the University of Texas at San Antonio.^[18]

More late, in 2012, Perez, along with David Frangioni, Mark Hudson and Jon Secada,^[29] developed an educational program for talented young musicians called IDA ("Inspire & Develop Artists"^[29]), whose role is to guide them and teach them to develop their musical talent. In the program, that however only lasts a week (the first of them, was developed between November 25 - December 1 in Miami Beach^[29]), a participant with great talent for music or singing is chosen by his team (formed by "great" composers, engineers, teachers of singing, of scenery and musicians), through its website, to be with the four main mentors (including Perez himself). According to Perez, through that program, the boy "goes a superstar" after he is only one week in the program.^[19]

According to the PR Newswire web page "The course includes classes in singing, composing, recording, mixing and studio technology, rehearsals, live performances, stage presence, and special guests from the music business. Classes are kept to a maximum of 12 people to ensure that participants receive personalized attention.

Those selected will work with teachers and they will also have tutorials and staff support by other experts in the world of music to cover all aspects of the industry. At the end of the program, each participant will have the skills to compete in this profession including image creation, choreography training, business fundamentals and professional recording their own song to help them launch their careers".^[29] The program first was released in English and, in January 2013, was released in Spanish.^[19]

Personal life

Rudy Pérez has one daughter with his first wife (with who he married to 19 year old ^[11][24]) and four children with his second wife, Betsy.^[13][24] According to him, life inspired my songs, however, I only writes about what I would like to live. He admires artists like Frédéric Chopin, Giacomo Puccini, George Gershwin, The Beatles, Brian Wilson, Charles Aznavour, Stevie Wonder and Manuel Alejandro.^[15]

As a mixture between your personal life and musical career we must noted a curiosity: Pérez reported that, while he worked for Pearly Queen, has decided to compose only English songs. However, after he had been dating a Spanish rich girl in Miami, whose relationship was never accepted by her parents (who had sent her "away", making it impossible that he could maintain his relationship with her), he heard the song of Julio Iglesias "Abrázame" (Hold me) and since this moment Pérez decided to also write songs in Spanish.^[8][10]

Discography

Rudy Pérez, in addition of his job as composer and producer, also is singer. Their albums can be divided into two categories: those he launched while working on the Rock band from Miami Pearly Queen (1973 - 1977) and those he launched as a soloist (for all the albums he has produced for other singers, look at their official website):

Pearly Queen

• Treasure Hunt - 1974
• Disco? - 1976

As a soloist

• ¿Qué voy a hacer sin tí? - 1984
• "Rudy" (also known as "Sencillos y otros". In English: Singles and others) - 1994
• Lo mejor de mí ("The best of me", an album compilation of many of his songs, but sung by himself) - 2012

Awards

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Awards

Pérez has won the following ASCAP awards.^[30]

Notes

References

External links

• Musictory: Rudy Perez Acordes (in Spanish: Rudy Perez Chords).
• Rudy Perez Discos en Yahoo! Música (in Spanish: Rudy Pérez Albums on Yahoo! Music).
• Rudy Pérez: Un compositor a gran escala (in Spanish: A large-scale composer)
• i-friedegg: Entrevista a Rudy Pérez (in Spanish: Interview with Rudy Perez)
• RUDY PEREZ ¿QUE VOY A HACER SIN TI?
• RUDY PEREZ MI MANERA DE QUERER