Telemundo and Billboard announced today that world-renowned Mexican singer, songwriter, and producer, Armando Manzanero, will be bestowed with the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award for an exceptional career that spans over six decades and which has taken Latin music to the next level internationally.
In addition, the music maestro will perform at the Billboard Latin Music Awards (BLMAs), which will air on Telemundo from the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on Wednesday, Oct., 21. The red carpet pre-show starts at 7 PM/6C followed by the three-hour award show starting at 8 PM/7C.
The Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award is granted to an artist with an enduring and exceptional career, who has expanded the reach of Latin music, whose contributions go beyond music, and whose influence has had a major impact on Latin music worldwide. Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Flaco Jiménez, Jorge Pinos, Los Lobos, Miguel Bosé, Conjunto Primavera, Carlos Santana, Los Temerarios, Emmanuel, Intocable, José, Andrea Bocelli, Roberto Carlos, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona, and Maná.
For more than half a century, Manzanero, a legendary master of romance, has been composing songs that are played constantly on the radio and sung time and again by countless voices around the world. The creator of classic boleros like “Contigo Aprendí”, “Mía”, “Adoro”, and “Esta Tarde Vi Llover,” is still within the world’s songbook at the age of 85.
Born in Merida, Yucatan, the son of one of the founder-musicians of the Típica Yucalpetén band, music was his second nature from the day he came into this world. Manzanero obtained his early musical education at Escuela de Bellas Artes de Merida at the young age of eight, later receiving musical training from maestros like Mario Ruiz Armengol, Chucho Zarzosa and Vicente Garrido, in Mexico City.
He wrote his first song "Nunca en el Mundo" in 1950 and recorded his first album in 1959. In 1969, Carlos Lico placed his ballad "No" at the top of the charts throughout Latin America, so it comes as no surprise that to date he has written over 400 songs and over 50 of them have gained international fame.
His songs have been translated into several languages and have been performed by great artists such as Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gormé, Johnny Mathis, Paul Mauriat, Elis Regina, Angélica María and Luis Miguel. Manzanero has also produced artists like María Conchita Alonso, Amaya, Dyango, Presuntos Implicados, Luis Miguel and Carlos Cuevas. In addition, he worked for Hollywood in the musical production of "No Sé Tú", the Spanish version of the film "Speechless."
In the 90's, he wrote the soundtracks for soap operas such as Nada Personal and Mirada de Mujer, and in 2000 he recorded the album Duetos, with artists Alejandro Sanz, Malú, Presuntos Implicados, La Barbería del sur, Miguel Bosé, Ariel Roth, Lolita, Café Quijano, La Unión, Cómplices, Lidia, Pancho Céspedes, Ricardo Montaner, Juan Pablo Manzanero, Lucero and Edith Márquez.
A recipient of countless international awards and recognitions, the last time Manzanero reached the Billboard charts was in 1988 with his album 20 Grandes Éxitos, which debuted in sixth place, and most awe-inspiringly, he continues to perform and his songs are still heard, time and again, on the anonymous guitars of serenades throughout the world.
The BLMAs will coincide with Billboard’s Latin Music Week, a three-day virtual experience dedicated to Latin music, culture, and entertainment. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the event will take place from Oct., 20-23 and will feature intimate artist conversations, industry panels, exclusive performances, and more. For more information and to RSVP, visit BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com. For the latest news, visit Billboard.com/Latin.
The BLMAs will also broadcast simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network, Universo and throughout the Americas on Telemundo Internacional. For the latest news, follow the event on Telemundo.com/PremiosBillboard and on social media:
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