11 Quotes & Sayings By Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan, born Gloria Fajardo, is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, dancer, businesswoman, television personality and philanthropist. She is best known for her international success as the lead singer of the Miami-based Latin music group Miami Sound Machine. After the group's formation in 1975, she released her first solo album in 1985. Singer Gloria Estefan was born Gloria Fajardo y García in Havana on April 15, 1958. She was named after Gloria Swanson, who was one of her favorite actresses Read more

Gloria's father was a restaurateur and her mother a homemaker. Both were born in Cuba. Her father Luis Antonio "Tony" Fajardo y García died when she was nine years old. Gloria Estefan began singing at the age of eight years old at the school concert with her sister Janet Fajardo together with their mother Lourdes Fajardo y García.

Her father took Gloria to see her first concert by Nat King Cole when she was twelve years old at the Teatro Diana theater in Havana. She learned to play the guitar from her uncle Enrique Fajardo y García and wrote her first song at age fourteen called "Lovin' You." She performed at weddings and parties with Cuban musicians until she left Cuba for good with her mother and sister Janet Fajardo y García to Miami, Florida where they took up residence as refugees as part of Operation Peter Pan (Havana) where more than four thousand children were sent to America after Castro came into power on January 1, 1959. It was during this time that Gloria met Carmelo Muñoz and they soon became lovers and eventually married in 1975 (they divorced in 1986).

They had three children: Christian (b. 1978), Angelica (b. 1984) and Julio Jr (b.

1992). They both worked as DJs for radio station WBAI-FM (FM 90.7) before forming Miami Sound Machine in 1973. The band that would later become known as Miami Sound Machine included Juan Carlos Salgado on bass guitar; Emilio Estefan on keyboards; Rosendo Arce on drums; Emilio Peraza on percussion; and Sandy Ryerson on percussion/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit/percussion kit and percussion kit and

1
The sad truth is that opportunity doesn't knock twice. You can put things off until tomorrow but tomorrow may never come. Where will you be a few years down the line? Will it be everything you dreamed of? We seal our fate with the choices we take but don't give a second thought to the chances we take. Gloria Estefan
2
I have a very open line of communication with both my children. Gloria Estefan
3
My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to be Shirley Temple's double - she was the diva of the family. At 8, I learned how to play guitar. I used to play songs from the '20s, '30s and '40s in the kitchen for my grandmother. Gloria Estefan
4
Motherhood is... difficult and... rewarding. Gloria Estefan
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My mom was a source of strength. She showed me by example that women, regardless of how difficult life may get, can do it all. Gloria Estefan
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I'm very comfortable in my own skin now. I started just being myself more and more. For women, this happens as you get older. I loved my 40s - I thought they were fantastic. And I'm loving my 50s. I'm going to love everything because you're either older or dead! Gloria Estefan
7
As an immigrant, I appreciate, far more than the average American, the liberties we have in this country. Silence is a big enemy of morality. I don't want our blunders in history to get repeated. Gloria Estefan
8
The sad truth is that opportunity doesn't knock twice. Gloria Estefan
9
There are so many beautiful things that are a part of the world, and I've always looked at life that way; I've always tried to put on a smile and a brave front, not just for my kids but in my own life and all the difficulties that I've gone through. Gloria Estefan
10
I wrote poetry, which got me into lyrics. Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Elton John pulled me into pop. I started singing with a band - just for fun - when I was 17. And pretty soon, I was thinking I could sing pop in English as well as Spanish. Gloria Estefan