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. He is considered one of the greatest performers of Caribbean and salsa music in his country and across Latin America. Arroyo's salsa song "La Rebelión" is one of the most famous songs in the genre and considered one of the best salsa songs of all time.[1]
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Arroyo and the second or maternal family name is González.
Joe Arroyo
Alvaro José Arroyo González
El Joe
1 November 1955
Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
26 July 2011 (aged 55)
Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Singer-songwriter, record producer, musician,
Vocals, Wood block
1969–2011
Life and career[edit]
1955–1970: Early life[edit]
Joe Arroyo was born and raised in the Nariño neighborhood of Cartagena.[2] His mother was Ángela González, a hotel manager. His father was Guillermo Arroyo, who fathered in total 39 children, with six wives, all named Ángela.[3] At the age of eight Arroyo began singing in brothels in Tesca, a red-light district of Cartagena, which he did for several years.[3]
1970–1981: Early career[edit]
Arroyo's first credited release as vocalist was in 1970 with Manuel Villanueva Y Su Orquesta on their LP Hasta La Madrugada....!.[4]
He also sang with El Super Combo Los Diamantes in Sincelejo, and in 1970 performed vocals on their LP Capullito. Rubén Darío Salcedo, the leader of Los Diamantes, gave Arroyo the nickname El Joe.[4]
Arroyo also spent some time singing with La Protesta in Barranquilla.[2]
In 1971 Arroyo was invited to join Fruko y sus Tesos by Julio Ernesto Estrada, the bassist and director of the band.[3] By the end of the decade Arroyo had recorded 15 albums with Fruko y sus Tesos, alongside 4 more with The Latin Brothers, all for Colombian record label Discos Fuentes.[5] Of Arroyo's tenure with Fruko y sus Tesos, El Tiempo wrote "Thus began the legend of the first great salsa orchestra in Colombia, with which Arroyo managed to impose a stamp that Colombia still dances to today". (Spanish: "Así comenzó la leyenda de la primera gran orquesta de la salsa en Colombia, con la cual Arroyo logró imponer un sello que todavía baila Colombia".)[4] He performed with the band for ten years until 1981, when he began his solo career leading his band, named "La Verdad" (The truth).
1981-2011: La Verdad[edit]
In 1981 Arroyo formed his own group, named Joe Arroyo y La Verdad, with whom he played around the world.[4] The group recorded more than 20 albums between 1981 and 2007.[5]
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".
Health issues and death[edit]
Arroyo suffered from health problems throughout his career,[6] which forced him to cancel several performances. On at least one occasion he was falsely reported dead.[7] In September 1983 Arroyo was nearly killed by a thyroid problem,[6] and in 2000 a combination of diabetes and pneumonia brought him close to death while touring in Spain.[7] He had to go through surgery because of problems with his eyes.
Arroyo's health issues have been attributed, in varying degrees, to drug use.[8][9][10] He denied the involvement of drugs in his September 1983 illness.[7]
Arroyo died in Barranquilla on 26 July 2011, after spending nearly a month in hospital due to multiorgan failure. The day before his death, he was given his final sacrament by the local bishop. Arroyo died at around 7:45 local time.[11]
Awards and nominations[edit]
Latin Grammy Awards[edit]
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, and in 2011 he was presented with a posthumous career award.[17]