Rubén Blades Biography

Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna, or Rubén Blades, was born on July 16, 1948, in Panama City, Panama. While his Colombian-born police detective father Ruben Sr. played bongos, his Cuban-born mother Anoland was a singer, radio soap opera actor, and pianist.

He grew up listening to Afro-Cuban rhythms and the rock music of bands such as the Beatles. In 1963, Blades became the lead singer of the Saints, a band launched by his older brother Luis

He studied law at the University of Panama, graduating in 1972. While at the university, he joined a local band.

In the wake of the Panamanian political unrest in 1974, his family was sent into exile to the US, as his father (previously part of the secret police) was hounded by military intelligence head Manuel Noriega. With the university being closed, Blades too moved to the US.

While there, he recorded an album with Pete Rodriguez. After the University of Panama reopened, Blades went back to complete his undergraduate studies. He was offered the job of a lawyer at the Bank of Panama, but he chose to go back to the US, to be with his parents who had, by then, moved to Miami.

The family then moved to New York. Once in New York, Blades sang and composed as part the Willie Colón combo. In 1982, he left Colón to launch Seis del Solar.

The band mingled salsa, rock, and jazz, while using vibraphones. Their album Buscando América was one of their top hits of 1984. Blades then went on a hiatus and obtained a master’s degree in international law from Harvard University in 1985.

After arriving in New York, following his family’s exile, Blades performed with a salsa band. By the late 1970s, he had started making salsa music with Willie Colon. They produced the album Siembre (Seed), a cult work in salsa.

Blades also got involved in political activism, inspired by his grandmother, a champion of Panamanian women's rights through the 1940s and 1950s. Some of his music had political themes, and he was also part of the Latin Nuova Cancion (New Song) movement, which blended political messages with poetic imagery and Latin rhythms.

His 1980 song Tiburon (Shark) spoke about the imperialism of the superpowers in the Caribbean and was banned on Miami radio. Blades also received death threats because of the song.

A fine actor, he made his debut with the film The Last Fight (1983), starring with former band-mate Willie Colón. After obtaining his master’s degree, Blades moved to Los Angeles in 1986. There, he acted in the low-budget movie Crossover Dreams (1985), which narrated the tale of a Latin American man trying to find luck as a musician in the US.

Since then, Blades has appeared in movies such as The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), Fatal Beauty (1987), Disorganized Crime (1989), The Super (1991), and Color of Night (1994), and composed the score for Q&A (1990).

In 1987, Blades released the Grammy-winning album Escenas, featuring Linda Ronstadt with him in a Spanish duet. In 1988, Blades released his debut English-language album, Nothing but the Truth, featuring songs written or co-written by the likes of Lou Reed and Sting.

His music showcased social issues as the AIDS crisis and the Iran-Contra affair. He soon gained the nickname the Latin Bruce Springsteen. In 1997, he led the cast of singer/songwriter Paul Simon's Broadway musical, The Capeman, which also starred Marc Anthony.

In his later career, he appeared in movies such as Cradle Will Rock (1999) and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003). His 1999 album Tiempos spoke about poverty and corruption in Latin America, whereas his 2002 album Mundo fetched him his first Latin Grammy Award. In 2003, he released the compilation Una Década.

In 2004, he appeared as a guest vocalist on Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s Across 110th Street (2004). In 2009, Blades released the acoustic album Cantares del subdesarrollo. The following year, he collaborated with Seis del Solar for the two-volume concert Todos vuelven live.

His other major albums were Tangos (2014) and Son de Panamá (2015. In 2017, he recorded Salsa Big Band with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, winning a Grammy and a Latin Grammy.

He then released Medoro Madera (2018), a collection of old tracks from the 1920s and 1930s; The Paraiso Road Gang (2019); and Salswing! (2021), the last of which won him a Grammy and a Latin Grammy. In 2022, he released Pasieros, collaborating with Boca Livre.

During this time, Blades appeared in movies such as Safe House (2012), For Greater Glory (2012), and The Counselor (2013). He also appeared in a recurring role in the series Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2017 and 2019). In 2018, he was named the New York University Steinhardt Dean's Inaugural Scholar-in-Residence.

While back in Panama briefly in 1992, amid the country’s struggle against the oppressive Manuel Noriega and the US invasion, Blades helped form the populist political party Papa Egoro (Mother Earth). In 1994, Blades went back to Panama to run for the presidency of the nation, as a Papa Egoró candidate.

His political campaigns consisted of songs and guitar and attracted massive support from people who were tired of corrupt politicians. He believed a part the corporate money that passed through Panama could be invested into the infrastructure of the country.

Although a popular candidate, Blade lost touch with his people because of his absence from the country. He also did not have a well-funded campaign. In the May 1994 elections, he was placed third, with only 17 percent of the votes.

In 2004, Panamanian President Martín Torrijos named Blades as his Minister of Tourism. Following this, Blades devoted a lot of time to the position but was still involved with music. He continued in the ministerial position till 2009.

He has won Grammys for Escenas (1987), Antecedente (1989), La Rosa de los Vientos (1997), Tiempos (2000), Mundo (2003), Across 110th Street (2005), Tangos (2015), Son de Panamá (2016), Salsa Big Band (2018), SALSWING! (2022), and Pasieros (2023).

He has won Latin Grammys for Mundo (2003), La Perla (2009), Cantares del Subdesarrollo (2010), Todos Vuelven Live (2011), Tangos (2014), Son de Panamá (2015), Salsa Big Band (2017), Medoro Madera (2018), Canción para Rubén (2020), SALSA PLUS! (2021), and SALSWING! (2021).

In 2005, the ASCAP awarded him its Founders Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was also named the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year in 2021.

Rubén Blades married Lisa Lebenzon on December 13, 1986. Their divorce was not publicized, so there is no information on it. In 2006, he married American actor, singer, and dancer Luba Mason.