Estefan concert in Norfolk will showcase Hispanics in military

NORFOLK — The rhythm is gonna get Norfolk Naval Station when Cuban-born pop star Gloria Estefan plays here at the end of the month.

Estefan’s “Tribute to Our Heroes” concert for military personnel and their families will take place on June 25. Admission is free but tickets are required.

Most of the concert will be in Spanish and taped for future broadcast on the television network Telemundo, officials said. But Estefan’s music is well known for its crossover appeal with such 1980s hits as “Conga” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”

The television special is scheduled to air in September. Estefan will be joined by other acts in the variety show, but those performers have not yet been confirmed.

Navy officials said a foreign-born sailor will also go through a naturalization ceremony to become an American citizen – part of the show’s effort to showcase the Hispanic experience in the armed services, officials said.

About 10 percent of sailors are Hispanic and that number has increased slightly over the last four years, according to the latest Navy figures. The 2000 Census reported that 12.5 percent of the American population identified itself as Hispanic.

Tickets for the concert will be available through local commands for all branches of the armed services, said Cmdr. Ron Hill, a spokesman for the Navy’s Mid-Atlantic Region Command in Norfolk.

The concert will be held on a stage just outside a large airplane hanger at the naval base’s Chambers Field. About 3,000 tickets will be available to see Estefan, who has sold some 70 million albums worldwide.

Her appearance will serve as a preview for a North American tour this summer. Estefan’s recently released album, “Unwrapped,” is her 23rd.

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