| Profile |
Stage Name: La Lupe
Real Name: Victoria Yoli Raymond
Date of Birth: Dec 23rd 1939
Place of Birth: Cuba
Date of Deceased: Feb 29th 1992
Real Name: Victoria Yoli Raymond
Date of Birth: Dec 23rd 1939
Place of Birth: Cuba
Date of Deceased: Feb 29th 1992
Lupe Yolí (La Lupe or La Yiyiyi) was one of the biggest singers in Latin Music and Salsa .
Born Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond on December 23, 1939 in the barrió of San Perdito,
Santiago, Cuba just like her closest counterpart, Celia Cruz, she was a schoolteacher teacher
before she became a singer.
She married in 1958 and formed a muscial trio with her husband Eulogio "Yoyo" Reyes and
another female singer. This group "The Tropicuba Trio" broke up with the marriage in 1960. She
began to perform her own act at a small night club "La Red" in Havana and acquired a devoted
following also appearing on radio. She released her first album "Con el Diablo en el Cuerpo"
("With the devil inside") on Discuba in 1961. Her expressive performances with their violent
sexuality attracted criticism that she was a poor example to the revolutionary state, this led to
professional difficultys which together with personal problems made it difficult to stay in Cuba.
In 1962 she exiled to the United States via Mexico. In New York City she performed at a Cuban
cabaret at "La Barraca" where she was discovered by Mongo Santamaria and started a new
career, making more than 10 records in five years.
Her passionate performances covered the range of Cuban music: son montuno, bolero,
Guantanamera venturing into other Caribbean styles like merengue, boogaloo, golpe tocuyano,
busamba, salsa. In the sixties she was the most acclaimed latin singer in New York City due her
partnership with Tito Puente. She was the first latin singer to sell out a concert at Madison
Square Garden in February 19th., 1969. She also did a wide variety of cover versions in either
Spanish or accented English, including Yesterday, Dominique by The Singing Nun, "Twist &
Shout", "Unchained Melody", Fever and America from West Side Story.
She was a Santera and a devotee of her namesake saint Our Lady of Guadalupe. However due to
the decision by her record label, Fania Records, to end her contract in the last 1970s (in part
because of pressure from Celia Cruz), she saw herself destitute in the 1980s. After being healed
miracously by a evangelical Christian faith healer, she abandoned her Santeria roots and became a
born-again Christian. She died in the Bronx,New York on February 29, 1992 of a massive heart
attack.
In the 1990s, interest in her music was re-sparked when Pedro Almodóvar included "Puro
Teatro", one of her boleros of love and breakup in his film classic Women on the Verge of a
Nervous Breakdown. Due to her similarities to American singer Judy Garland such as her strong,
yet raspy voice, and her energetic and unpredectable stage performances, she has become an
icon among many gays in Latin America and Spain.
In 2002, The City of New York renamed East 140th Street in The Bronx as La Lupe Way in her
memory.
Article by Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org
Born Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond on December 23, 1939 in the barrió of San Perdito,
Santiago, Cuba just like her closest counterpart, Celia Cruz, she was a schoolteacher teacher
before she became a singer.
She married in 1958 and formed a muscial trio with her husband Eulogio "Yoyo" Reyes and
another female singer. This group "The Tropicuba Trio" broke up with the marriage in 1960. She
began to perform her own act at a small night club "La Red" in Havana and acquired a devoted
following also appearing on radio. She released her first album "Con el Diablo en el Cuerpo"
("With the devil inside") on Discuba in 1961. Her expressive performances with their violent
sexuality attracted criticism that she was a poor example to the revolutionary state, this led to
professional difficultys which together with personal problems made it difficult to stay in Cuba.
In 1962 she exiled to the United States via Mexico. In New York City she performed at a Cuban
cabaret at "La Barraca" where she was discovered by Mongo Santamaria and started a new
career, making more than 10 records in five years.
Her passionate performances covered the range of Cuban music: son montuno, bolero,
Guantanamera venturing into other Caribbean styles like merengue, boogaloo, golpe tocuyano,
busamba, salsa. In the sixties she was the most acclaimed latin singer in New York City due her
partnership with Tito Puente. She was the first latin singer to sell out a concert at Madison
Square Garden in February 19th., 1969. She also did a wide variety of cover versions in either
Spanish or accented English, including Yesterday, Dominique by The Singing Nun, "Twist &
Shout", "Unchained Melody", Fever and America from West Side Story.
She was a Santera and a devotee of her namesake saint Our Lady of Guadalupe. However due to
the decision by her record label, Fania Records, to end her contract in the last 1970s (in part
because of pressure from Celia Cruz), she saw herself destitute in the 1980s. After being healed
miracously by a evangelical Christian faith healer, she abandoned her Santeria roots and became a
born-again Christian. She died in the Bronx,New York on February 29, 1992 of a massive heart
attack.
In the 1990s, interest in her music was re-sparked when Pedro Almodóvar included "Puro
Teatro", one of her boleros of love and breakup in his film classic Women on the Verge of a
Nervous Breakdown. Due to her similarities to American singer Judy Garland such as her strong,
yet raspy voice, and her energetic and unpredectable stage performances, she has become an
icon among many gays in Latin America and Spain.
In 2002, The City of New York renamed East 140th Street in The Bronx as La Lupe Way in her
memory.
Article by Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org
Return To The Memorial Page
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Connect To The Latin Soul Radio Station and Start Listening To La Lupe
Return To The Latin Soul Show Home Page
Connect To The Latin Soul Radio Station and Start Listening To La Lupe
In Memory of La Lupe - Queen of Latin Soul