Hola

Biography:
Joe Arroyo (full name Alvaro José Arroyo Gonzalez), son of Guillermo Arroyo and Angela González, was born on 1st November 1955 in Cartagena, a city of about 1 million inhabitants on thenorthern Colombian coast. Arroyo grew up in a poor family with no less than 39 siblings and half-siblings. Cartagena has a long history of being one of the most important ports when the spaniardsconquered this part of South America in the 1600 century and is known for it´s beautiful arquitecture and scenic landscape right on the caribean coastline. Joe grew up here surrounded by all the latin andcolombian music styles such as cumbia, son, tambores etc which all were to become part of his own musical repetoir later on. But also listening and getting inspired by salsa stars from outside ofColombia and artist from the New York salsa scene, artists like Richie Ray and Celia Cruz who both were some of his greatest idols.
The reputation always has it his own musical career started at theage of eight when he started singing in local strip clubs in Cartagena. But he was also part in for example the choir in the cathedral of Cartagena at the age of 12. And a local piano teacher and leaderof a group who played at a hotel called "El hotel Americano" regonized his talent and beautiful, unic voice and singing style and brought him in to play with them and he ended up singing with thegroup for four years.
Until he in 1971 he was picked up as a singer for a group which later was to become the most famous salsa group of Colombia - "Fruko y sus tesos", lead by salsa-magician JulioErnesto Estrada Rincon(nicknamed Fruko) and thus also became part of the most famous record company in Colombia, Discos Fuentes, which later also were to release a vast number of his solo records.
WithFruko he recorded some of the most famous colombian salsa songs in history(allthough he does not sing "El Preso", a common misconception. Fruko has had a number of vocalists and "El Preso" is sung...