Jon Secada

Secada was born in 1961 in Havana, Cuba.[2] Secada's father, José, was incarcerated for 3 years as a political prisoner by the Castro regime. In 1971, the Secadas received permission to emigrate and moved to Miami.[4] His parents opened a coffee shop.[5]

Secada was raised in Hialeah, Florida. In 1979, he graduated from Hialeah High School.[6] It was during his performance of A Christmas Carol in 11th grade when he realized his musical potential and was encouraged by teachers to pursue music as a career.[2]

In 1983, he received a Bachelor of Music and in 1986 he received a Master of Music in jazz vocal performance, both from the Frost School of Music.[7] He graduated cum-laude and was later inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society.[8]

From 1986 to 1991, Secada was a teacher at Miami Dade College.[9]

In 1986, Secada was introduced to Emilio Estefan by his college acquaintances.[1] Estefan listened to one of Secada's demos and then became Secada's mentor and manager.[2][10] This led to Secada becoming a backup singer for Gloria Estefan's Miami Sound Machine.[5]

In 1991 Secada co-wrote and was a backup singer for "Coming Out of the Dark," a number-one hit song inspired by a tour-bus accident involving Gloria Estefan in 1990, in which her back was broken.[11] In 1992 he released his self-titled debut album, which sold 7 million copies.[5] In 1994 he performed a duet with Frank Sinatra, a re-recording of "The Best Is Yet to Come," released on Sinatra's album Duets II. He also performed at the awards for Miss Venezuela 1994.In 1995 he performed on Broadway in Grease,[5] and he also presented at the 49th Tony Awards. He recorded If I Never Knew You, a duet with Shanice for Pocahontas. In 1999 he co-wrote and produced "She's All I Ever Had" for Ricky Martin.

In 2003 he performed in Cabaret.[5] He also co-wrote Juramento for Ricky Martin. From 2006 to 2009 Secada was a judge on Latin American Idol for its entire four-season run. In 2007 he co-wrote three songs, and performed in one, on Lilian Garcia's album ¡Quiero Vivir!.

In 2017 he released a tribute album with cover versions of songs by Benny Moré.[12]

From 1988 to 1993, Secada was married to Jo Pat Cafro. In May 1995, he started dating Maritere Vilar. They were married in February 1997.[13] They have 2 children.

Secada resides in a 7,284 square-foot house, with a tennis court and pool, a few blocks west of his alma mater in Coral Gables, Florida.[14]

Secada created the Jon Secada Music Scholarship at the University of Miami, raised funds for The Recording Academy's effort "Keeping Music in Schools," and supports many initiatives including the Pediatric AIDS Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.[15]

• Jon Secada (1992)
• Otro Día Más Sin Verte (1992)
• Heart, Soul & a Voice (1994)
• Si Te Vas (1994)
• Amor (1995)
• Secada (1997)
• Better Part of Me (2000)
• The Gift (2001)
• Amanecer (2002)
• Same Dream (2005)
• A Christmas Fiesta/Una Fiesta Navideña (2007)
• Expressions (2009)
• Classics/Clasicos (2010)
• Otra Vez (2011)
• To Beny Moré With Love (2017)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jon Secada.

• Official website
• Jon Secada at IMDb