Draco Rosa will receive a special honor for his storied career…
The 55-year-old Puerto Rican singer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur will be one of the recipients of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from The Latin Recording Academy, as part of its annual Special Awards presentation.
Draco is among a roster of honorees that include Albita, Lolita Flores, Alejandro Lerner, Los Angeles Azules and Lulu Santos.
Additionally, Puerto Rican composer Ángel “Cucco” Peña and Mexican guitarist Chucho Rincón will receive the Trustees Award.
“It is with great pride that we honor these musical legends who continue redefining our Latin music and heritage, said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating them as part of our Latin GRAMMY 25th anniversary festivities in November.”
According to the Latin Academy, the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to Latin music and its communities.
Meanwhile, the Trustees Award is given to artists who’ve made “significant contributions to Latin music during their careers in ways other than performance.”
Both are voted on by the Latin Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees.
Draco has evolved from boy band stardom to becoming a rock en español icon and global hitmaker.
He originally garnered fame as a member of boy band Menudo in the 1980s, singing lead on the band’s biggest stateside hit, “Hold Me” and featuring prominently in the accompanying music video.
After leaving the band he moved to Brazil where he released two albums, achieving mainstream success.
Following a brief subsequent stint in California, he returned to New York and joined the band Maggie’s Dream, which split after only one album, allowing him to resume his solo career.
The singer and composer has released numerous albums and has composed multiple songs for Ednita Nazario, Julio Iglesias and former Menudo band-mate, Ricky Martin.
He has also been featured on VH1‘s Behind the Music.
Renowned for her fiery vocal delivery, Albita has been championing Cuban music and tradition since the late ’80s.
Her career in the U.S. has produced success, including multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations and wins.
In 2005, Albita was cast for a major role in the Broadway-produced musical play The Mambo Kings, where she worked for six months to rave reviews.
Daughter of Spanish legends Lola Flores and Antonio “El Pescaílla” González, Lolita Flores has made significant contributions to modern flamenco with her stunning voice and diverse repertoire.
Flores started her career in the early 1970s and with the release of the album Amor, amor and a single of the same name in 1975 she achieved success in her native Spain, as well as in countries in Latin America.
Her songs “Sarandonga,” “Lo voy a divider” and “Si la vida son dos días,” among others, have become staples in Spanish radio.
In 2002, she won a Goya Award for Best New Actress for her performance in the movie Rencor. Flores has also appeared in several television programs such as Directísimo and Hostal Royal Manzanares. In February 2019, she received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes.
Hailing from Buenos Aires, Alejandro Federico Lerner was a trailblazer in Argentine rock during the ’70s and is celebrated as a seminal figure in the genre.
From Iztapalapa to the world, Los Ángeles Azules have been instrumental in propelling Mexican cumbia to international acclaim since the ’70s, continually infusing the genre with a Latin alternative twist that keeps it vibrant and relevant.
Lastly, Lulu Santos, a gifted Brazilian guitarist, singer and composer, has enchanted audiences for over five decades with his distinctive contributions to Brazilian music.
The honorees will be celebrated at a private event on Sunday, November 10, in Miami during Latin Grammy Week. As in previous years, Latin Grammy Week will include the Latin Grammy Person of the Year gala, which this year honors Colombian sensation Carlos Vives, the Special Awards ceremony and a Leading Ladies of Entertainment luncheon, among other events.
Nominations for the 2024 Latin Grammys will be announced on September 17, and the awards ceremony will take place on November 14 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.