The Latin Recording Academy takes time out each year to recognize a handful of men and women who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of Latin Music.
2009 marks the 10th anniversary of the Latin Grammy Awards and sometimes it’s difficult to remember that eleven years ago there were no Latin Grammys and there were only a handful of categories in the list of 'regular' Grammy Awards devoted to Latin music. There were other music award programs but none carried the prestige associated with winning a “Grammy,”leaving so many deserving and groundbreaking Latin artists with few opportunities to be recognized.
Well, thankfully that has all changed. The 2009 Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Awards will be awarded to Cuba’s master percussionist Candito Camero, Brazil’s ‘Godmother of Samba’ Beth Carvalho, Argentine rock pioneer Charly Garcia, Peru’s Tania Libertad, another pioneer although this time in the area of Afro-Peruvian music, Mexico’s Marco Antonio Muniz, a beloved voice of traditional boleros and ballads and Juan Romero who is a formidable force in the area of Christian music.
Additionally, the Latin Recording Academy will be honoring two artists with their Trustees Award, which honors those who have made a significant contribution to Latin music outside of performance. This year the award will go to Venezuelan pianist, educator, economist and activist Jose Antonio Abreu and to Mexican composer Roberto Cantoral, who in addition to his celebrated compositions is the founder of El Sistema, an organization that uses music to inspire social and intellectual improvement among the young.
The awards will be presented to the honorees at a special ceremony on Nov. 4, 2009 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas.
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