Miami Sound Machine

Hailing from Miami as its name suggests, Miami Sound Machine is an American band that bridges the gap between Latin pop and dance. Formed in 1975 under the name Miami Latin Boys, the group features Cuban-born singers and musicians Emilio Estefan (percussion, accordion) and his wife Gloria Estefan (vocals, percussion), Merci Navarro (vocals), Raul Murciano (keyboards), Juan Marcos Avila (bass) and Enrique "Kiki" Garcia (drums). After changing their name to Miami Sound Machine, the band recorded their first album for the Audiofon label, then signed with CBS for the following Miami Sound Machine (1978), recorded in English and Spanish versions, and Imported (1979). In 1980, after the arrival of guitarist Wesley B. Wright, the addition of a brass section brought a new direction to the band's music, which resulted in a new album entitled Miami Sound Machine, recorded in Puerto Rico, followed by Otra Vez (1981). A change of musicians followed in 1982, and Gloria Estefan became the lead singer on the album Rio. In 1984, Eyes of Innocence, the first album sung entirely in English, was an international success, thanks in particular to the hit "Dr. Beat", which charted in the American dance charts and the European charts (no. 6 in the UK). The following year, this success was reinforced by the album Primitive Love, ranked No. 1 on the US Latin music charts, and featuring the hits "Conga" (No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100), "Bad Boy" (No. 8) and "Words Get in the Way" (No. 5). Having become a symbol of Latin music in the U.S., Miami Sound Machine appeared on several TV shows and recorded "Hot Summer Nights" for the film Top Gun and "Suavé" for Cobra in 1986. After a world tour, the singer came to the fore and the band changed its name again, to Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine with the album Let It Loose (1987), reissued under the title Anything for You due to the success of this song, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. From then on, the band became Gloria Estefan's backing band, launching her solo career with the album Cut Both Ways. In 2002, a new line-up was formed under the name Miami Sound Machine II, featuring singers Lorena Pinot, Sohanny Gross and Carla Ramirez.