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"Whose songwriting
and vocal artistry enrich the world
of Latin music."
In the realm
of Latin music, Ednita Nazario is
a symbol of talent, quality, perseverance
and passion. Since her childhood days
performing as part of the duo, The
Kids from Ponce, Ednita has followed
her dream of becoming a great artist.
When she was 15, Ednita
began her solo career, and immediately
gained the attention of the public.
The late Academy Award-winning Puerto
Rican actor, José Ferrer, recruited
her to perform as an opening act for
his shows at the San Juan Hotel and
at the Plaza on New York's Fifth Avenue.
From then on, Ednita's
star shined brightly as the Principality
of Monaco and its Prince Rainier III
asked Ednita Nazario to sing for them
at an exclusive event in Monaco.
As striking as her
voice was, Ednita also glowed with
outside beauty. Both of these attributes
led her to win the Miss Teenage Puerto
Rico crown, and had her competing
in the United States with 50 other
contestants, showcasing her outstanding
skills as a performer.
Ednita returned to
Puerto Rico to record the first of
her 19 solo albums, Al fin…
Ednita (At last… Ednita!).
Three years later she recorded her
hit album, Me está gustando
(I'm Liking It), which swiftly
topped the radio charts in Puerto
Rico and the New York Hispanic market.
This early success opened the door
for Ednita to enter Puerto Rican TV.
At the age of 18, Ednita was hosting
her own weekly variety show, "El
Show de Ednita," on the Telemundo
Network. Her television presence bolstered
her musical career even further, as
she garnered hit after hit, including
"Encuentro" ("Encounter"),
"Mío" ("Mine"),
"Mañana" ("Tomorrow")
and "No me dejes no" (a
Spanish version of "Give a Little
Bit").
In 1981 at the OTI
Festival, Ednita distinguished herself
as a composer, winning first prize
for penning "Contigo mujer,"
sung by Puerto Rican performer Rafael
José.
Her growing discography
includes well-known songs like "A
que no le cuentas" ("I Dare
You to Tell Her"), "La prohibida"
("The Prohibited"), "Tu
sin mí" ("You Without
Me") and "Mi pequeño
amor" ("My Little Love")
and "El dolor de tu presencia"
("The Pain of Your Presence").
In 1993, Ednita made
history when she sold out her performance
at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum,
marking the first sell-out show at
the major Puerto Rican venue. She
eventually released that performance
on a live disc, Ednita Nazario Live.
Later, she broke her own record by
selling out the venue in five consecutive
performances.
In 1994 the Calle
Ocho Walk of Fame honored Ednita Nazario
with a star in Miami, and New York
City embraced her with her debut at
Lincoln Center.
Soon after, Ednita
made her Broadway debut as Esmeralda
Agrón in Paul Simon's musical,
The Capeman. The reviews were magnificent,
and her performance earned Ednita
Best Actress nominations at the Drama
Desk Awards and the Theater World
Awards.
For her international
presence in countries like Mexico,
Chile, Venezuela, Spain and Argentina,
the National Puerto Rican Day Parade
honored her twice as their International
Godmother and once as Grand Marshall
of the popular event. Her humanitarian
heart also led to collaborations with
non-profit organizations such as UNICEF,
Fight Against Cancer and Artists Against
AIDS, among others.
She has worked with
important producers like KC Porter,
Joe Lamont (Air Supply), Robi "Draco"
Rosa and the songwriter Tommy Torres.
Her live double album, Acústico,
recieved a Grammy Nomination and a
Gold Record.
Only two months after
its launch, her new album, Por ti
(For You) received a Gold Record,
powered by Ednita's latest single,
"Cansada de estar cansada"
("Tired of Being Tired").
ASCAP is proud to
honor Ednita Nazario with the ASCAP
Latin Heritage Award tonight for her
numerous contributions to Latin music.
The Society salutes her many accomplishments,
and looks forward to what this Puerto
Rican musical sensation will create,
produce and reveal in the future.
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