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Crespo, Elvis - Merengue

Elvis Crespo was born on 30 July, 1971 in New York City. At age six he moved to Guaynabo, Puerto Rico with his mother, where he grew up dreaming of becoming a baseball player. By age 14, Crespo had realized that he did not have the required skills and devoted himself to managing baseball teams.

However, he also showed an interest in music and at age 17 he joined the Willie Berrios orchestra. He later moved on to other music groups including the merengue band of Toño Rosario. Deciding he should complement his music budding career with formal studies, he enrolled in the Metropolitan University and pursued a business management degree. His formal studies were derailed when he got the opportunity to be the lead singer in Grupo Manía. He seized the chance and acheived great success over the course of the next three years with that band.

His success led him to try a solo career with his own orchestra with the support of his record label: Sony Discos. His debut solo album Suavemente became an international hit and best seller; breaking sales records in Puerto Rico and abroad and winning him a Grammy nomination in 1999 for Best Tropical Music Album". The album included the hit title track:  Suavemente. Although Ricky Martin took the award, Crespo won recognition from the House of Representatives in Puerto Rico and other international awards for his efforts.

He followed up his success of the "Suavemente" album with a concert series in Puerto Rico's Bella Artes cultural center and with his second production: Píntame. This second album included hits such as "Por el caminito" and the title track: "Píntame".

He travelled extensively and his songs dominated the charts during 1999. In Venezuela, he won the Orquidea de Diamante (Diamond Orchid) prize and was celebrated at Chile's Festival de Viña del Mar. His music became equally popular throughout Spain, Italy, Belguim and other parts of Europe. Perhaps most telling was the recognition he received in the Dominican Republic; birthplace of the merengue genre.

At the height of his career, Crespo received his second Grammy nomination and this time won the award. He has decidedly won the top position of merengue exponent in Puerto Rico with more than four million albums sold. His goals for the year 2000 was to complete his first concert in Japan and debut in Australia.

Other websites by this publisher: jimserrat.com  AND  carletteandjim.com