Gloria Estefan: Unwrapped

Gloria Estefan says farewell, goes 'bare bones' on concert tour

Gloria Estefan consulted hardcore fans on her Internet group about their ideal set list before embarking on this tour. She says to expect a very intimate, very improvisational show and "also my warped sense of humor side so they get to know me a little better."

Gloria Estefan's concert at Mohegan Sun tomorrow is sure to be a bittersweet experience for fans. The "Queen of Latin Pop" is on her first tour in eight years, but it's also her farewell tour.

The good news is she's not giving up on music — just touring.

"I'm not gonna stop performing all together. I'm not retiring," Estefan said. The decision is because she wants time for her family as well as her music.

Estefan and her husband, Emilio, whose Miami Sound Machine was the vehicle for their early success, have a grown son, Nayib, and a daughter. Emily turns 10 this year and will soon be entering her teenage years, said Estefan.

The tour, which started in Texas on July 30, goes a year before winding up in Miami, where the family lives.

Asked what she'll miss most about touring, Estefan said the opportunity to be face-to-face with fans and nurture that relationship. "My biggest joy is the exchange of energy with fans," she said. "I want them to know I appreciate them; it's important for me to be there with them at least one more time."

Asked what she'll miss least, she said, "Everything else."

Touring can be "pretty grueling," Estefan explained; you're constantly on the move while rehearsing, working out and performing. "My body is my instrument. I sing every song; there's no lip synching. The music moves me, so I move a lot."

Estefan, 47, added, "You can't get sick .Ÿ.Ÿ. You can't even eat the way you want because you have to watch your weight."

Her plan is to keep making music and to do TV appearances. She also wants to work behind the scenes with her music producer-husband to help other artists. She's already written for stars including Jennifer Lopez and has been approached by singers such as Diana DeGarmo of TV's "American Idol."

"She (DeGarmo) asked us to do some things for her," said Estefan. “I'd love to do that. I love young talent — it's exciting for me."

Estefan's own rise to stardom began in the mid-1970s when she met Emilio at a wedding; she was 17 and he was 22. Emilio asked her to be the lead singer for his band, The Latin Boys, which played at weddings and bar mitzvahs. He also urged her to write songs because the band wanted to play original music.

Three years later they married. The Latin Boys became Miami Sound Machine and found great success. Estefan's 1985 hit "Conga" appeared on Billboard's Pop, Latin, Soul and Dance charts simultaneously. Other hits included "Anything for You," "Rhythm's Gonna Get You," and "Here We Are."

Estefan has sold upwards of 70 million albums worldwide. Her latest, "Unwrapped," is her most intimate work yet.

"As an artist, I feel like my mission is to entertain. And more importantly, to give people a way to say things," said Estefan.

"Songs have always done that for me — given me a way to express myself. There are so many people who have told me that my music helped get them through a rough time in their life. What can be better than that? I just have to continue to grow so that I can continue to make music that inspires my listeners."

Estefan is an inspiration even without her music. In 1990 a tractor-trailer slammed into her tour bus. Her injuries required a four-hour surgery in which two eight-inch metal braces were inserted to stabilize a broken vertebrae. She received 400 stitches, was in such pain she couldn't sleep for more than 45 minutes at a time, and had to relearn basic skills such as walking on her own.

Many people wrote her asking how she got through that time. "You have to be proactive in making your life the way you want, and not just sit there and accept what you think is your destiny," she has said. "Your destiny can be changed on a moment to moment basis."

She eventually did write about the ordeal in a song called "Coming Out of the Dark."

Estefan and her husband are also an inspiration because of their philanthropy. The Gloria Estefan Foundation promotes health, education and cultural development around the globe. "I'm happiest when I'm able to give back to the community," she said.

Discussing her latest CD, Estefan admits she's attached to the sounds of the '60s and '70s. She invited artists such as Stevie Wonder to help give "Unwrapped" a distinct sound. Wonder's harmonica solo and unmistakable sultry voice appear on the sexy "Into You."

In the electric duet "One Name," Estefan sings with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. "One Name" was inspired by a man named Edgar, who lived under a bridge near Estefan's house. The song's message is that regardless of our experiences, we all want and need the same things.

One of the most wrenching songs is "Your Picture," a haunting ballad with a touching guitar solo and the lyrics, "With true love the colors may fade but the feelings never do, just like a photograph." The words make this song feel like it could be dedicated to a lover, a friend or a child. But it has special meaning for the Estefans.

"Emilio and I had a portrait done for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary about 10 years ago. It's really a beautiful picture and it inspired this song.

"Emilio's father passed away on Emilio's 50th birthday .Ÿ.Ÿ. but this picture is just as bright and vibrant and special (as it was). No matter what, nothing can fade that."

The same can be said of Estefan's career as the most successful Latin crossover artist in pop music. Highlights include recording the theme for the 1996 Summer Olympics and winning three Grammy Awards. She received an Oscar nomination for the title song for the film "Music of the Heart," in which she appeared with Meryl Streep.

Estefan still has many dreams. Cuban-born and raised in Miami, one of her fondest is to be able to perform in a free Cuba. "It wouldn't be a tour, it would be a celebration. I would do it free," she said. "That is the one thing I really dream about. That would be a euphoric experience for me."

As for surprises the audience can expect tomorrow, Estefan said, "If I tell you, they won't be surprises, will they?" But she did say the show will be intimate. "I will go down to bare bones — me by myself, but lots of energy, too. The ending of the show is a big, giant party." There are 10 dancers and, of course, her band.

Estefan last performed at Mohegan Sun in 2001, when she helped celebrate the grand opening of its $1.1 billion expansion.

Explaining her long absence on the tour scene, she said, "We were gonna tour in 2000, but my daughter was the age she was supposed to start pre-K and I said, 'Do I really want to do this — take these most precious years of her life and traipse around the world with her? .Ÿ.Ÿ. I chose to stay home and take her to tae kwon do and be involved in the school and create a solid relationship.

"She's now gonna be in fourth grade and I feel comfortable taking her out of school a couple of months. She's developed a lot friendships that are solid and normal. I did that for my son as well. I didn't tour until my son was Emily's age."

As for those who doubt this is truly her farewell tour — farewell tours are seen as an industry joke — Estefan said she has credibility.

"I don't like drama," she said. "I wouldn't do that (lie).

"I'm not retiring in any way, shape or form. It's just touring, and the way the world is now and the way the music industry is heading. I think we're saturated.

"I've done this; I'm getting older. I think it's time for me to evolve in other areas."

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