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Ricky Martin Biography
Martin was born on Christmas Eve, 1971 in San Juan,
Puerto Rico. At 12 he was rotated into the lineup of the Latin
boy band Menudo. Five years later, at the peak of superstardom,
he was rotated out. Following his departure from Menudo, Martin
spent several years getting his bearings; he graduated from high
school, dabbled in acting, spent time in Mexico and New York, and
eventually released two solo albums (Ricky Martin and Me Amaras)
that became hits on the Latin pop charts.
In 1994 Martin landed a
regular role on the soap opera "General Hospital." His
character, Miguel Morez, was a singing bartender, providing a
national showcase for Martin's sexy voice and good looks. The
role on "GH" eventually led to a year-long role in the
Broadway production of "Les Miserables."
In 1995 Martin released his third solo album, A
Medio Vivir, a rock album with Latin stylings, produced by Ian
Blake. Three years later, Martin released Vuelve, his most
successful album to date. The CD contained the international hit
"La Copa de la Vida/The Cup of Life," which became an
anthem for the 1998 World Cup and which won Martin a Grammy for
Best Latin Pop Performance. His show-stopping performance at the
1999 Grammy Awards presentation resulted in a standing ovation
and sky-rocketing record sales of Vuelve. Martin quickly followed
up on his success with the release of Ricky Martin, his English-language
debut.
