Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948),
known professionally as Rubén Blades (,
but in Panama and within the family), is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in the
salsa, and
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave (rhythm), clave, and Afro-Brazil ...
genres. As a songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American ''
nueva canción
(European , ; 'new song') is a left-wing social movement and musical genre in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by folk music, folk-inspired styles and socially committed lyrics. is widely recognized to have played a profou ...
'' and Cuban ''
nueva trova
Nueva Trova (, "new trova") is a movement in Cuban music that emerged around 1967–1968 after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, and the consequent political and social changes.
Nueva Trova has its roots in the traditional trova, but differs from it ...
'' as well as experimental tempos and politically inspired
Son Cubano salsa to his music, creating "thinking persons' (salsa) dance music". Blades has written dozens of hit songs, including "
Pedro Navaja" and "
El Cantante" (which became
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (September 30, 1946 – June 29, 1993), better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican salsa music, salsa singer. Widely regarded as one of salsa’s most important and influential vocalist ...
's
signature song
A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...
). He has won twelve
Grammy
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
Awards out of 20 nominations and twelve
Latin Grammy
The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...
Awards.
His acting career began in 1983, and has continued, sometimes with several-year breaks to focus on other projects. He has prominent roles in films such as ''
Crossover Dreams'' (1985), ''
The Milagro Beanfield War
''The Milagro Beanfield War'' is a 1988 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Redford, based on a novel by John Nichols. The movie features an ensemble cast including Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga, Julie Carmen, James G ...
'' (1988), ''
The Super'' (1991), ''
Predator 2
''Predator 2'' is a 1990 American science fiction film, science fiction action film written by brothers Jim and John Thomas, directed by Stephen Hopkins (director), Stephen Hopkins, and starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, Rubén Bla ...
'' (1990), ''
Color of Night
''Color of Night'' is a 1994 American erotic mystery thriller film produced by Cinergi Pictures and released in the United States by Buena Vista Pictures (through its Hollywood Pictures label). The film was directed by Richard Rush, was join ...
'' (1994), ''
Safe House
A safe house (also spelled safehouse) is a dwelling place or building whose unassuming appearance makes it an inconspicuous location where one can hide out, take shelter, or conduct clandestine activities.
Historical usage
It may also refer to ...
'' (2012), ''
The Counselor'' (2013) and ''
Hands of Stone'' (2016), along with three
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nominations for his performances in ''
The Josephine Baker Story'' (1991), ''
Crazy from the Heart'' (1992) and ''The Maldonado Miracle'' (2003). He portrayed
Daniel Salazar, a main character on the TV series ''
Fear the Walking Dead
''Fear the Walking Dead'' is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson for AMC. It is a spin-off to '' The Walking Dead'', which is based on the comic book series of the same na ...
'' (2015–2017; 2019–2023).
In 1994, Blades managed to attract 17% of the vote in a failed
attempt to win the Panamanian presidency. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president
Martín Torrijos
Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino (; born July 18, 1963) is a Panamanian politician who was President of Panama from 2004 to 2009.
He was fathered out of wedlock by Panamanian military ruler Omar Torrijos, the '' de facto'' head of Panama from 19 ...
for a five-year term.
He made his U.S. debut with the
Pete Rodriguez orchestra in 1970 on his album
''De Panamá a New York'' and among his most successful albums are ''
Rubén Blades y Son del Solar... Live!'', ''
Amor y Control'', ''
Caminando'',
SALSWING!, ''Son de Panamá'',
''Tangos'', ''
Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos'', ''
Buscando América'', ''El Que la Hace la Paga'', ''
Escenas'', ''
Salsa Big Band'', ''
Metiendo Mano!'' and his famous album ''
Siembra'' released in 1978. In addition, he has collaborated with different artists such as
Usher,
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
, as a soloist and as a guest
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
,
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (; born 19 April 1970) is a Mexican singer and record producer. Born in Puerto Rico to an Italian mother and a Spanish father, he is often referred to as Honorific nicknames in popular music, ''El Sol de Mexico'' ...
,
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top List of best-selling music artists, reco ...
,
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
,
Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; 7 January 1950 – 28 August 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer-songwriter and actor. Colloquially Honorific nicknames in popular music, nicknamed Juanga () and El Divo de Juárez, ...
,
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini (; born 16 May 1974) is an Italian Pop music, pop singer. She rose to fame in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the Sanremo Music Festival 1993, 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which becam ...
,
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
,
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda (; born 26 August 1971), known mononymously as Thalía, is a Mexican singer, songwriter and actress. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Pop", she is considered one of the most ...
in the Spanish version of the song "
What More Can I Give" written and translated by Blades as "
Todo Para Ti". He has also participated in several productions by different Latino artists such as "
Almost Like Praying", "
Color Esperanza 2020", "
Hoy Es Domingo" among other tracks. He also translated into Spanish the track "
I Just Can't Stop Loving You" in the version called "
Todo Mi Amor eres Tu" included in Jackson's anniversary album ''
Bad 25
''Bad 25'' is the 25th anniversary edition reissue of American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson's seventh studio album '' Bad'' (1987). This is the second album by Jackson re-released on its 25th anniversary, the first being '' Thriller 25'' (2 ...
''.
Family history and early life
Blades was born in
Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
,
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
.
He is the son of Cuban musician and actress Anoland Díaz (her real surname is Bellido de Luna), and Colombian Rubén Darío Blades Sr., an athlete, a percussionist and a graduate of the
Federal Bureau of Narcotics
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury, with the enumerated powers of pursuing crimes related to the possession, distribution, and trafficking of listed narcotics including cannabis, ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
His younger brother,
Roberto Blades
Roberto Blades (born Roberto Bellido de Luna) is a Panamanian Salsa singer. His most popular songs are "Ya No Regreso Contigo", "Lagrimas", "Poquita Fe", "Casco", "Detalles", "El Artista Famoso", "Victima de Afecto", "Flor Dormida" and "Si Estu ...
, is also a musician. His mother's great-uncle, Juan Bellido de Luna, was active in the Cuban revolutionary movement against Spain and was a writer and publisher in New York City. Blades's paternal grandfather, was thought to be Rubén Blades, an English-speaking native of
St. Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...
who came to Panama as an accountant. However, in 2025 it was revealed on ''
Finding Your Roots
''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is an American documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is com ...
'' that Blades is actually the grandson of poet
Ricardo Miró
Ricardo Miró Denis (November 5, 1883 in Panama City, Panama – March 2, 1940) was a Panamanian writer and is considered Panama's national poet.
He traveled to Bogotá at the age of fifteen to study painting, but was forced to return to Panama i ...
. Blades says that the man he thought was his grandfather had come to Panama to work on the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
, as he states in the song "West Indian Man" on the album ''
Amor y Control'' ("That's where the Blades comes from") (1992). He explains the source and the pronunciation () of his family surname, which is of English origin, in his web show ''Show De Ruben Blades'' (SDRB). Additionally, on ''Finding Your Roots'' it was revealed that
Amelia Denis de Icaza
Amelia Denis de Icaza (November 28, 1836 – July 16, 1911) was a Colombian and later a Panamanian romantic poet. She was the first Panamanian woman to publish her poetry.
Biography
Born in Panama City in 1836, her father was of French origin a ...
, the first Panamanian woman to publish her poems, was the aunt of Ricardo Miró, making her Blades's great-aunt.
In Blades's early days, he was a vocalist in Los Salvajes del Ritmo,
and also a songwriter and guest singer with a popular Latin music
conjunto
The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...
(ensemble), Bush y sus Magníficos. His strongest influence of the day was the
Joe Cuba sextet and
Cheo Feliciano
Cheo Feliciano (3 July 1935 – 17 April 2014) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa and bolero music. Feliciano was the owner of a recording company called "Coche Records". He was the first tropical singer to perform at the "Amira ...
, whose singing style he copied to the point of imitating his voice tone and vocal range.
Career
1970s–1980s
Blades earned multiple degrees in political science and law at the
Universidad Nacional de Panamá and performed legal work at the Bank of Panama as a law student.
Blades' first recording in the US was the solo album ''
De Panamá a New York'', with the Pete Rodriguez Orchestra,
which included original compositions such as "Juan Gonzalez", "Descarga Caliente" and "De Panamá a New York", recorded in 1969 at
The Sound Factory
The Sound Factory (also known as Sunset Sound Factory) is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California.
The Sound Factory was built in the 1960s on Selma Avenue in Hollywood. At the time, it served as the home of Moonglow Records and the Moon ...
studio in California and released by New York City-based label
Alegre Records
Alegre Records was a New York City record label specialized in latin music. It was founded in 1956 by Al Santiago who owned a 1950s record store at 8522 Westchester Avenue in The Bronx named ''Casalegre'' and co-founded by clothing businessman B ...
in 1970. He then returned to Panamá and finished his degree.
In 1974, he moved to the United States, initially staying with his exiled parents in Miami, Florida, before moving to New York City where he began working in the mailroom at
Fania Records.
Soon Blades was working with salseros
Ray Barretto
Raymundo "Ray" Barretto Pagán (April 29, 1929 – February 17, 2006) was an American percussionist and bandleader of Puerto Rican descent. Throughout his career as a percussionist, he played a wide variety of Latin music styles, as well as Lati ...
and
Larry Harlow. Shortly thereafter, Blades started collaborating with trombonist and bandleader
Willie Colón.
They recorded several albums together and participated in albums by
plena
Plena is a genre of music and dance native to Puerto Rico.
Origins
The plena genre originated in Barrio San Antón, Ponce, Puerto Rico, around 1900. It was influenced by the bomba style of music. Originally, sung texts were not associated wit ...
singer
Mon Rivera
Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican musicians (both born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez), namely Monserrate Rivera Alers (originally nicknamed Rate, later referred to as "Don Mon", or Mon T ...
and the
Fania All Stars.
Blades's first notable hit was a song on the 1977 album ''Metiendo Mano'' that he had composed in 1968,
"Pablo Pueblo", a meditation about a working-class father who returns to his home after a long day at work. The song later became his unofficial campaign song when he ran for president of Panama. The Colón and Blades recording on the same album of
Tite Curet Alonso's composition, "Plantación Adentro", which dealt with the brutal treatment of Indian natives in Latin America's colonial times, was a hit in various Caribbean countries. He wrote and performed several songs with the Fania All Stars and as a guest on other artists' releases, including the hits "Paula C", written about a girlfriend at the time; "Juan Pachanga", about a party animal who buries his pain for a lost love in dance and drink; and "Sin Tu Cariño", a love song, featuring a
bomba break. The latter two songs feature piano solos by the Puerto Rican pianist
Papo Lucca.
In 1978, Blades wrote the song "
El Cantante"; Colón convinced him to give the song to Colón's former musical partner,
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez (September 30, 1946 – June 29, 1993), better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican salsa music, salsa singer. Widely regarded as one of salsa’s most important and influential vocalist ...
, to record, since Lavoe's nickname was already "El Cantante de los Cantantes" ("the singer of singers"). Lavoe recorded it that same year, and it became both a big hit and Lavoe's
signature song
A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...
; a
biographical film about Lavoe took the same title. (The film ''El Cantante'', starring executive producer
Marc Anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
and then wife
Jennifer López, told a fictionalized version of this story, in which Blades tells Lavoe he wrote the song for him.)
The Colón and Blades album ''
Siembra'' (1978)
became the best-selling salsa record in history, with Blades writing all but one of the songs. It has sold over 3 million copies, and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries. Its most famous song was "
Pedro Navaja", a song inspired by the 1928 song "
Mack the Knife
"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" () is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama ''The Threepenny Opera'' (). The song tells of a knife-wielding criminal of the London underworld n ...
"; it tells the story of a neighborhood thug who is killed by a street walker who knows him (he stabs her, she shoots him, they both die, a bum finds them, and takes their belongings). The song inspired a 1980 Puerto Rican musical, ''La verdadera historia de Pedro Navaja'', and a 1984 Mexican film, ''Pedro Navaja'', neither of which had Blades' involvement. Blades wrote and sang a sequel song, "Sorpresas", (surprises) on his 1985 album, ''Escenas'', which revealed that Pedro had survived the incident and was still alive.
Blades became dissatisfied with Fania and tried to terminate his contract, but was legally obliged to record several more albums, released after his departure.
His 1981 song
Tiburón Tiburon (Spanish , "shark") may refer to:
Places United States
* Tiburón Golf Club, in Naples, Florida
* Tiburon Peninsula (California), a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area of California
:* Tiburon, California, a town on the peninsula
* E ...
(with Willie Colon) protested against military interventions by the United States (the metaphorical "shark" in the song's title) in Latin America.
It received little airplay in the US because of its controversial political message, with Blades being accused of sympathizing with communism and becoming particularly unpopular with the
Cuban community in Miami.
Blades would later state that "I was out of the radio for fifteen years in
he USbecause of 'Tiburon'." Although he explicitly characterized ''Tiburón'' as "an
anti-imperialist
Anti-imperialism in political science and international relations is opposition to imperialism or neocolonialism. Anti-imperialist sentiment typically manifests as a political principle in independence struggles against intervention or influenc ...
song", he also sought to distance himself from
radical Anti-Americanism among the Latin American Left. A 2016 study concluded that "Regardless of his constant efforts not to be cornered ideologically
..Blades always identified himself as a Panamanian and a Latin Americanist", inspired by
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
.
In 1982 Blades got his first acting role, in ''
The Last Fight'',
portraying a singer-turned-
boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real-life world-champion boxer
Salvador Sánchez. In 1984, he released ''
Buscando América'', and in 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent film ''Crossover Dreams'' as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. Blades also began his career in films
scoring music for soundtracks. Also in 1985, he earned a master's degree in international law from
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...
. He was the subject of
Robert Mugge's documentary ''The Return of Rubén Blades'', which debuted at that year's
Denver Film Festival
The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...
. He also recorded a segment for the ''
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' television program, interviewed by
Morley Safer.
In 1984, Blades left Fania, and signed with
Elektra,
although Fania continued to release recordings compiled from their archives for some years afterwards. Blades assembled a band (known variously as Seis del Solar or Son del Solar) and began touring and recording with them.
His first album with them, ''Escenas'', included a duet with
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music.
Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...
(1985), won Blades his first
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
, for
Best Tropical Latin Album. He then recorded the album ''Agua de Luna'', based on the short stories of writer
Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel José García Márquez (; 6 March 1927 – 17 April 2014) was a Colombian writer and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo () or Gabito () throughout Latin America. Considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th centur ...
, in 1987. The next year he released the English-language collaboration ''
Nothing but the Truth'',
with rock artists
Sting,
Elvis Costello
Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
, and
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
whose song "The Hit" aka its main chorus "Don't Double Cross the Ones You Love", appeared in the opening and closing credits of
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...
's 1990 crime drama film ''
Q & A''; also in 1988 he released the more traditionally salsa ''
Antecedente'', again with Seis del Solar, which again won a Grammy Award.
1990s–2000s
During the 1990s, he acted in films and continued to make records with Seis/Son del Solar. In 1990, he released the collection ''Poetry: the Greatest Hits'' that according to Q Magazine "highlighted his political commentary and pastiche approach to music".
In 1994, he mounted an unsuccessful Panamanian presidential bid, founding a
center-left
Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. Ideologies commonly associated with it include social democracy, social liberalism, progressivism, and green politics. Ideas commonl ...
party called Movimiento Papa Egoró (whose name comes from the
Emberá language and means "Mother Earth"). The album that followed this experience was titled ''La Rosa de los Vientos''. He also made award-winning music such as Pena and Amor y Control, won the
1997 Grammy for
Best Tropical Latin Performance, and all its songs were by Panamanian songwriters, recorded using all Panamanian musicians. In 1996, Blades along with Son Miserables performed "No Te Miento (I Am Not Lying
o you" for the
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
benefit album ''
Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin'' produced by the
Red Hot Organization. In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriter
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...
's first
Broadway musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
, ''
The Capeman'', based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison, which also starred
Marc Anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
and
Ednita Nazario
Edna María Nazario Figueroa (born April 11, 1955) is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer who has achieved stardom both at home and abroad. She has been in the music business from a young age and has released twenty-three studio albums, seven live ...
. His many film appearances include ''
The Milagro Beanfield War
''The Milagro Beanfield War'' is a 1988 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Redford, based on a novel by John Nichols. The movie features an ensemble cast including Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga, Julie Carmen, James G ...
'' (1988), ''The Two Jakes'' (1990), ''
Predator 2
''Predator 2'' is a 1990 American science fiction film, science fiction action film written by brothers Jim and John Thomas, directed by Stephen Hopkins (director), Stephen Hopkins, and starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, Rubén Bla ...
'' (1990), ''Mo' Better Blues'' (1990), ''
Color of Night
''Color of Night'' is a 1994 American erotic mystery thriller film produced by Cinergi Pictures and released in the United States by Buena Vista Pictures (through its Hollywood Pictures label). The film was directed by Richard Rush, was join ...
'' (1994), and ''Devil's Own'' (1997). He also guest-starred in an episode of ''
The X Files'' titled, "
El Mundo Gira," playing immigration agent Conrad Lozano. In 1999, he played Mexican artist
Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art.
Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...
in
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and Jacob Singer in '' Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), as well as winning an Academy ...
' ''
Cradle Will Rock''. In the 2003 film ''
Once Upon a Time in Mexico'', starring
Johnny Depp
John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...
,
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received numerous accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award ...
, and
Willem Dafoe
William James "Willem" Dafoe ( ; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. Known for his prolific career portraying diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse films, he is the recipient of various accolades including a Volpi Cup Award for ...
, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.
Blades's 1999 album ''Tiempos'', which he recorded with musicians from the Costa Rican groups
Editus and Sexteto de Jazz Latino, represented a break from his salsa past and a further rejection of commercial trends in
Latin music
Latin music (Portuguese language, Portuguese and ) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Music of Latin America, Latin America, Music of Spain, Spain, Mu ...
. Ironically, the album won a
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors in ...
. Blades was inducted into the
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music genre.
In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the a ...
in 2001. Even more eclectic was the 2002 album ''
Mundo'' with the 11-member Editus Ensemble and bagpiper
Eric Rigler, which incorporated instruments from around the world. ''Mundo'' won the
Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, and was also nominated for a
Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists in the ...
. The same year, Blades guested on
world music
"World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...
artist
Derek Trucks' album, ''
Joyful Noise''. In 2003 he followed ''Mundo'' with a web site free-download project. Blades was presented with the Founders Award at the 2005
ASCAP Latin Awards. In 2004, he put his artistic career on hold when he began serving a five-year appointment as Panama's minister of tourism. Beginning in June 2007, however, Blades turned some of his attention back to his artistic career, presenting an
online TV show titled ''Show de Ruben Blades (SDRB)'' on his website.
In November 2005 he received an honorary degree from the
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
.
In May 2007, Blades was sued by his former bandmate Willie Colón for breach of contract. This led to a series of suits and countersuits that lasted over five years, resulting in decisions in Blades' favor. In the middle of 2008 he took a leave of absence for a mini-tour in Europe, backed by the Costa Rican band Son de Tikizia. When his government service was completed in June 2009, he reunited the members of Seis del Solar for the 25th anniversary of ''Buscando América'' in a tour of the Americas.
2010–present
In June 2011, Blades was given the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award by ASCAP and WhyHunger.
In 2014, Blades was the closing act for the
Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico.
In 2015, Blades' album ''Tangos'' won a Grammy award for Best Latin Pop Album.
Blades expressed his interest in making another run for president of Panama in 2019.
In 2015, Blades was cast in the regular role of
Daniel Salazar in the
AMC
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** ...
post-apocalyptic drama ''
Fear the Walking Dead
''Fear the Walking Dead'' is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson for AMC. It is a spin-off to '' The Walking Dead'', which is based on the comic book series of the same na ...
'', a companion series to ''
The Walking Dead''. Blades first appears in the second episode "
So Close, Yet So Far".
In 2017, Blades performed as one of the featured artists for
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
in
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals '' In the Heights'' and ''Hamilton'', and the soundtracks for the animated films '' Moana' ...
's charity single "
Almost Like Praying" to raise money for victims of
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, which accounted for 2,975 of the 3,059 deaths. It is the ...
.
In September 2018, Blades was appointed as
NYU Steinhardt Dean's Inaugural Scholar-in-Residence at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
.
In 2021, Blades was honored as the
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for his contributions to Latin music and activism.
In 2024, Blades received the Doctor of Music honorary degree at
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
in New Jersey, USA.
Lincoln Center in NYC named Blades its Visionary Artist for the 2024-2025 season.
In 2025, it was discovered on ''
Finding Your Roots
''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is an American documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is com ...
'' that Blades is the newly discovered grandson of poet
Ricardo Miró
Ricardo Miró Denis (November 5, 1883 in Panama City, Panama – March 2, 1940) was a Panamanian writer and is considered Panama's national poet.
He traveled to Bogotá at the age of fifteen to study painting, but was forced to return to Panama i ...
.
Personal life
Blades holds a Law degree from the
University of Panama
The University of Panama () is a public university in Panama City, Panama. It was founded on October 7, 1935. Initially, it had 175 students learning education, commerce, natural sciences, pharmacy, pre-engineering or law. , it had 74,059 student ...
and an
LL.M
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is a postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in another subject.
In many jurisdi ...
in International Law from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
.
He is married to singer
Luba Mason.
Filmography
Film
Television
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
De Panamá a New York'' (1970)
*
''The Good, the Bad, the Ugly'' (with
Willie Colón) (1975)
* ''
Metiendo Mano!'' (1977)
* ''
Siembra'' (1978)
* ''
Bohemio y Poeta'' (1979)
* ''Maestra Vida: Primera Parte'' (1980)
* ''Maestra Vida: Segunda Parte'' (1980)
* ''
Canciones Del Solar De Los Aburridos'' (1981)
* ''
The Last Fight'' (1982)
* ''El Que la Hace la Paga'' (1982)
* ''Mucho Mejor'' (1984)
* ''
Buscando América'' (1984)
* ''
Escenas'' (1985)
* ''
Crossover Dreams'' (1986)
* ''Agua de Luna'' (1987)
* ''Doble Filo'' (1987)
* ''With Strings'' (1988)
* ''
Nothing but the Truth'' (1988)
* ''
Antecedente'' (1988)
* ''
Caminando'' (1991)
* ''
Amor y Control'' (1992)
* ''Joseph & His Brothers'' (1993)
* ''
Tras La Tormenta'' (with
Willie Colón) (1995)
* ''La Rosa de los Vientos'' (1996)
* ''Tiempos'' (1999)
* ''
Mundo'' (2002)
* ''
Cantares del Subdesarrollo'' (2009)
* ''Eba Say Ajá'' (with
Cheo Feliciano
Cheo Feliciano (3 July 1935 – 17 April 2014) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of salsa and bolero music. Feliciano was the owner of a recording company called "Coche Records". He was the first tropical singer to perform at the "Amira ...
) (2012)
* ''
Tangos
Tangos may refer to:
* Tangos (song), "Tangos" (song), a song popularized in Spain
* Tangos (district), a district or barangay in Navotas, Philippines
* ''Tangos'', a 1973 album by Buenos Aires 8
* Tangos (album), ''Tangos'' (album), a 2014 album ...
'' (2014)
* ''Son de Panamá'' (2015)
* ''
Almost Like Praying'' (2017)
* ''
Salsa Big Band'' (2017)
* ''Medoro Madera'' (2018)
* ''Paraíso Road Gang'' (2019)
* ''
SALSWING!'' (2021)
*''SALSA PLUS!'' (2021)
*''SWING!'' (2021)
* ''Pasieros'' (2022)
* ''Parceiros'' (2022)
* ''Fotografías'' (2025
Live albums
*''Siembra Live'' (1980)
*''Doble Filo'' (1986)
*''
Rubén Blades y Son del Solar... Live!'' (1990)
*''Todos Vuelven: Live, Vol. 1'' (2011)
*''Todos Vuelven: Live, Vol. 2'' (2011)
*''
Una Noche con Rubén Blades'' (2018)
* ''Siembra: 45º Aniversario En Vivo'' (2023)
Compilation albums
*''Poeta Latino'' (1993)
*''Poetry: The Greatest Hits'' (1994)
*''La Leyenda'' (1994)
*''The Best'' (1996)
*''Greatest Hits'' (Música Latina) (1996)
*''Sus Más Grandes Éxitos'' (1998)
*''Best of Rubén Blades'' (1998)
*''Salsa Caliente de New York'' (2002)
*''
Una Década'' (2003)
*''La Experiencia'' (2004)
*''
A Man And His Music: Poeta del Pueblo'' (2008)
*''Greatest Hits'' (2008)
*''Dos Clásicos'' (2011)
*''10 de Colección'' (2014)
*''Serie Platino'' (2014)
*''Salsero Original'' (2016)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
Latin Grammy Awards
Note: At the
4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, ''
Mundo'' also received a nomination for
Best Engineered Album, which went to engineers
Walter Flores, Oscar Marín, Daniela Pastore and Edín Solís.
References
External links
*
*
Finding aid to Rubén Blades recordings and papersat Isham Memorial Library, Harvard University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blades, Ruben
1948 births
20th-century Panamanian male singers
20th-century Panamanian singers
21st-century Panamanian male singers
21st-century Panamanian singers
Afro-Cuban jazz bandleaders
Afro-Cuban jazz singers
Elektra Records artists
Fania Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Harvard Law School alumni
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin jazz musicians
Latin music songwriters
Living people
Maracas players
20th-century Panamanian lawyers
Panamanian male actors
Panamanian people of Colombian descent
Panamanian people of Cuban descent
Panamanian songwriters
Salsa musicians
Male jazz musicians
University of Panama alumni
Tourism ministers of Panama
Fania All-Stars members