Latin Pride Awards: Battle of the Titans

Vicente Fernandez (Mexico). Omara Portuondo (Cuba), Gilberto Santa Rosa (Puerto Rico), Caetano Veloso (Brazil) and Johnny Ventura (Dominican Republic) are going head to head for the top spot at this year's Latin Pride Awards. The category is Lifetime Achievement (Trajectoria Latina) and we, the musical listening and buying public, have the opportunity to determine the outcome.

I sure don't envy us, because trying to decide who's the most deserving in this list of stellar artists is giving me a headache.

Vicente Fernandez has been "El Rey" for may years, and no one can belt out a ranchera like Fernandez. Omara Portuondo has been singing longer, but it was the Buena Vista Social Club, and subsequent Buena Vista albums, that brought her worldwide attention. Gilberto Santa Rosa, the "Salsa Gentleman", is a baby at 43, but his salsa achievements and celebrity are huge. Caetano Veloso is a name every Brazilian child knows, an icon in the Bossa Nova and Tropicalia world. And finally, "El Caballo" Johnny Ventura is the undisputed merengue king.

There are six more categories where you can pick your favorites: Best female artist, best male artist, best CD, best song, best video and best group. The best female artist category has 34 nominations, so I'm not going to print the names here; you can find them on the Awards Website, which is the same place you'll go to vote. Voting is going on Aug. 21 - Sept. 4, and the winners will be announced Oct. 28th.

Personally, I just can't decide which titan to vote for. Any suggestions?