ÿþM i c r o s o f t W o r d - G l o r i a E s t e f a n - Jim Mathis

emain on Billboard's pop, dance, black, and Latin charts simultaneously. "Conga" also
appears in the Guiness Book of World Records for an estimated 119,000 people who did
the conga in 1988.
The group's popularity increased with Gloria singing lead so much that in 1986, it forced
a name change to "Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine." Eventually the name
was shortened to simply "Gloria Estefan." She released her first solo album in 1989
featuring No. 1 ballads such as "Anything for You," and "Don't Wanna Lose You".
Everything seemed to be going Gloria's way, but a year later, tragedy struck. She was
involved in a serious accident in Syracuse, New York. Her tour bus was hit from behind
by a semi tractor trailer truck. Gloria suffered a broken vertebra and had to undergo
massive surgery. She was given little hope for full recovery, but Estefan beat the odds
and the prognoses. Drawing on tremendous willpower and the strength and support from
her worldwide fans, she underwent a year of physical therapy. " She returned to the stage
in March of 1991.
Gloria sang at the half time of the Super Bowl in 1992. Estefan's 1993 and 1995 albums
next two albums were Spanish-language efforts that distanced her somewhat from the
American mainstream, but proved hugely popular in South America. Destiny was her first
English-language collection for over five years, featuring "Reach," the theme to the 1996
Olympic Games in Atlanta. She sang it for the closing ceremonies of the Olympic
Games.
The following year Gloria made her acting debut alongside Meryl Streep in Music Of
The Heart. The title song in the soundtrack featured Estefan singing duet with pop
sensations 'N Sync. Estefan was the recipient of an Award of Merit at the 2000 American
Music Awards. In 2004 she was the featured performer for the Miss Universe pageant
held in Ecuador. Thanks to her international appeal, as well as her loyalty to a bi-cultural
heritage, she is fondly known as "Nuestra Glorita," which means “our little Gloria.”
Estefan has traveled the world as a Cuban-American musician, and she has been an
emissary on behalf of the Cuban Exiles. Rolling Stone magazine said, "Estefan
wholeheartedly embraces her Cuban heritage with superb arrangements. Gloria and her
husband Emilio can be credited with putting Miami on the musical map and reconnecting
across a great divide back to their motherland--Cuba".
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