Estefan saying adios to the open road

August 27, 2004

After 25 years into her "career of firsts," Gloria Estefan has reached the end of the road. Not literally, of course. But the singer-songwriter has decided to call it quits with her "Live and Unwrapped" tour, which stops Saturday at the United Center.

Estefan will continue to write, record and produce, but "Live and Unwrapped," her first tour in eight years, will be her last, she insists. "It's too grueling," she said in a recent teleconference. "I've spent so much of my life on the road, it's like training for the Olympics. Besides I want to focus on other projects, like producing other artists. And my daughter is entering her teen years, so I want to be there for her. But I'm not going to retire or stop performing. I'm just not going to go on out on these big tours."

Certainly she's earned the right, if she so desired, to rest on her many laurels. Born in Havana 47 years ago, Estefan embodies the American dream. She came here with her family, refugees from the Cuban revolution, and started all over in the States. Through talent and perseverance, she achieved a measure of success that totals 24 albums, five Grammy Awards and more than 70 million in worldwide record sales. Along with her husband, Latin music mogul Emilio Estefan, she has built a media and real estate empire consisting of hotels, restaurants and music/video/television production.

And long before America had heard of Ricky Martin or Enrique Iglesias, Estefan became the first Latin artist to cross over into the U.S. pop market in a major way. Others such as Ritchie Valens, Trini Lopez, Freddy Fender and so forth, had preceded her, but they never made the same impact.

For her latest disc, "Unwrapped" (2003), Estefan co-produced and wrote most of the lyrics and music. She calls it her "most personal album yet -- it's like an album of snapshots of my life."

In her a teleconference interview, Estefan touched on future projects, which include an autobiography and a movie based on the life of '60s singer Connie Francis, among many other subjects:

Q. So-called farewell tours have become an industry joke -- look at Eric Clapton and Cher, who are still on the road years after "saying goodbye." Why should fans believe that you're actually calling it quits?

A. Because I have credibility with them. If you know me, you know [it's true]. It's not me to say otherwise. But again, to clarify, I'm not retiring. It's just that touring, the way the industry is headed, we're saturated. It's time to come up with a new model [for performance]. As for Cher, she's been on the same [farewell] tour, it's still the same show, it just keeps coming around and saying farewell to as many fans as possible.

Q. Why did you decide to undertake this farewell tour now?

A. We have our first English [language] disc ["Unwrapped"] in six, seven years. We were going to tour in 2000, but we ended up doing a millennium show instead in Miami. Why now? I wanted to have an English album to share with the fans on the tour.

Q. So what do you have planned for this tour? What surprises can we expect?

A. What I can say is that it's going to be bare bones, just me, very intimate but high energy. Well, there are also 10 dancers, my band, two extra percussionists. I'm going to do a lot of hits, but also songs from my new album. The show's only two hours, but that's way long for a show. I'd like to do more, but it's physically impossible.

Some old hits will be done really retro, others will be done in the style of "Unwrapped." Michael Curry from "The Lion King" [choreographed] a killer opening segment for us. You're going to see a lot of energy.

Q. How did the sound of "Unwrapped" factor into the tour?

A. It was recorded live with musicians in the studio. We wanted to recapture what made music exciting for me. We chose players specifically for that style. The most we did was three takes [on a particular song], I wanted to recapture that magic [of my early career], when you found a rhythm, a symbiosis, as you sang with them. That's why on "Unwrapped" we have instruments of the '70s, Mellotron, Fender Rhodes [electric piano], which was my first instrument.

Q. It sounds like you're nostalgic for the '80s.

A. No, actually, I'm more nostalgic for the '60s. The '80s were a strange decade, considering what was popular then. It was good for me, but I love the singer-songwriters who I grew up with -- Carole King. Elton John.

Q. Are you encouraged by the inroads that Latin music has made into the mainstream in recent years?

A. There have been a lot of changes since the '80s, but if you look at mainstream radio, we're still far, far away. In Europe, they're a lot more open about different music. For instance, the first time that I heard Celiz Cruz on the radio was in Holland! It's too bad, because there is so much diversity within Latin music [which doesn't get media exposure]. I hope there will be a time when ethnicity becomes less important.

Q. Is it any easier now for Latin artists to break through and cross over into the general market?

A. I don't think it's easier now than it was for us back in the mid-'80s. We had to fight hard. Our label wouldn't release "Conga." They said it was too ethnic. It took a year for it to take off [on the charts]. Our fans had no problem with it. Others have done it [crossed over] but J Lo is more hip-hop, Marc [Anthony] more salsa and Shakira more rock. In general, it's too hard to crack the general market.

Q. Why did you pick Hidalgo, Texas, as the first stop on the tour?

A. Because Texas was the beginning for me. I learned English there. It's right in the middle of the country, with access to both Anglo and Latin fans. Actually, the tour promoters picked that particular town, but I wanted the mix of fans. I guess the whole town is going, because we're sold out already, and the town has a population of only 10,000!

Q. You've said that so many people have been influential in your life. Can you recall a particular role model from your childhood?

A. My first-grade teacher, Dorothy Collins, in San Antonio, Texas. She's African-American and she was the most influential person in my life. To this day, she still stays in touch with me through my mother. At the time, I was the only Hispanic in her class. I started first grade without knowing how to read English. But she really worked with me, and after six months, I won a prize [for reading skills]. It was very controversial, because all these other mothers couldn't believe it. But Mrs. Collins stuck by me and said I deserved the honors.

When we moved to Miami a few years later, my dad went off to fight in the Bay of Pigs invasion and then spent two years in Cuba as a political prisoner. So when I think of San Antonio, it gives me a warm feeling. It was a beautiful time in my life that I recall fondly to this day.

Q.You've been very vocal in your opposition to the Castro government. Do you think that you'll ever have the chance to perform in your homeland? And if so, what would be the first song that you would sing?

A. If Castro's regime fell, that would be a gigantic celebratory concert that I would do for free. That's the one thing that I really dream about. Hopefully, it will happen, before I'm too old to do that. And if I ever get to perform in a free Cuba, I would start with "Mi Tierra."

As for Cuba, my music is played there, but I'm considered a subversive. It's played by kamikaze DJs who take big risks, who have been beaten up, for playing my music. In the beginning, the Castro government tried to mask my music, saying I'm not Cuban. But people found out the truth.

Q. What do you hope will be your legacy?

A. I would like to go out like Celia Cruz, on top. She still seems alive to me. It's due to her spirit, energy, she was so beautiful. If I can [generate] that same kind of feeling, that would be an honor. "Remember Me With Love" ... that song explains what I hope will be my legacy.

I came here [to the United States] to be of service, in one way or the other. Emilio feels the same way. My kids, by example, will have learned that, hopefully. It's the human reaction, it doesn't have to do with what language you speak. I think that's the most important lesson. From a little corner in Cuba, we were able to take that [lesson] all over the world.

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