Color me stereotype, but I love Gloria Estefan.   The word “diva” is overused, and sadly Latin ones rarely get their due…especially when you consider their world wide appeal and commercial reach. (She’s sold over 100 million records!)  Little Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan from the Miami barrio grew up to be the biggest thing ever in Latin music, keeping much of the same band that launched her stardom over 30 years ago.  That’s right…little Gloria started singing with the Miami Sound Machine when it was a wedding band in mid 70’s Miami. 

If this comes off as a (very gay) second grade book report about “Why I Love Gloria Estefan”, it’s because it is…OK?  I like that everything she does has an aspect of a pretty second grade teacher who’s gentle enough to read to you during recess but tough enough to fend off you bullies.  I feel comfortable with La Estefan.  She’s recorded one of the only Latin albums I ever bought (“Mi Tierra”…it’s amazing.) 

Full disclosure:  Basically, I’m two Leinenkugels into my evening.  And she’s the best thing ever if you ever want to be cradled in the security of a matte 1991 sensibility.  Also, Gloria is superhuman.  She wrote this one year after getting into a (literally) spine severing tour bus collision.  They said she might not walk!