# Jon Secada

Juan Francisco Secada Ramírez (born October 4, 1961), better known as Jon Secada, is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. He has won two Grammy Awards and sold 15 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists. His music fuses funk, soul music, pop, and Latin percussion.
Secada has written songs for Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez. He has toured with Luciano Pavarotti and recorded duets with Jim Brickman, Olivia Newton-John, and Frank Sinatra.
Secada has performed several times at A Capitol Fourth, an annual Independence Day concert from the United States Capitol televised by PBS.

## Early life

Secada was born in 1961 in Havana, Cuba. Secada's father, José, was incarcerated for 3 years as a political prisoner by the communist Cuban government. In 1971, the Secadas received permission to emigrate and moved to Miami. His parents opened a coffee shop. Secada was raised in Hialeah, Florida.

## Education

In 1979, Secada graduated from Hialeah Senior High School in Hialeah, Florida. During his performance of A Christmas Carol in 11th grade, he says he realized his musical potential and was encouraged by teachers to pursue music as a career.
After graduating from high school, Secada attended the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where he received a Bachelor of Music in 1983 and a Master of Music in jazz vocal performance in 1986. He graduated cum-laude and was later inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor bestowed by the University of Miami.

## Career

From 1986 to 1991, Secada was a teacher at Miami Dade College. He began teaching at Florida International University in 2024.
In 1986, Secada's University of Miami acquaintances introduced him to Emilio Estefan, a musician in Miami Sound Machine and husband of Gloria Estefan. Estefan listened to one of Secada's demos and then became Secada's mentor and manager. This led to Secada becoming a backup singer for Miami Sound Machine.
In 1991, Secada co-wrote and was a backup singer for "Coming Out of the Dark", a number-one hit song inspired by a tour-bus accident involving Gloria Estefan in 1990, in which her back was broken. In 1992, he released his self-titled debut album, which sold 7 million copies. In 1994, he performed a duet with Frank Sinatra, a re-recording of "The Best Is Yet to Come", released on Sinatra's album Duets II. He also performed at the awards for Miss Venezuela 1994. In 1995, he performed on Broadway in Grease, and he also presented at the 49th Tony Awards. He also recorded "If I Never Knew You", a duet with Shanice for Pocahontas. In 1999, he co-wrote and co-produced "She's All I Ever Had" for Ricky Martin.
In 2003, he performed in Cabaret. He also co-wrote "Juramento" for Ricky Martin. From 2006 to 2009 Secada was a judge on Latin American Idol for its entire four-season run. In 2007, he co-wrote three songs, and performed in one, on Lilian Garcia's album ¡Quiero Vivir!.
In 2017, he released a tribute album with cover versions of songs by Benny Moré.

## Personal life

From 1988 to 1993, Secada was married to Jo Pat Cafro. In May 1995, he started dating Maritere Vilar. They were married in February 1997 and have two children.
Secada resides in a 7,284 square-foot house, with a tennis court and pool, a few blocks west of the University of Miami, his alma mater, in Coral Gables, Florida.
Secada has created the Jon Secada Music Scholarship at the University of Miami, raised funds for The Recording Academy's effort "Keeping Music in Schools", and supports many initiatives including the Pediatric AIDS Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

## Discography

* Jon Secada (1992)
* Otro Día Más Sin Verte (1992)
* Heart, Soul & a Voice (1994)
* Si Te Vas (1994)
* Amor (1995)
* Secada (1997)
* Better Part of Me (2000)
* The Gift (2001)
* Amanecer (2002)
* Same Dream (2005)
* A Christmas Fiesta/Una Fiesta Navideña (2007)
* Expressions (2009)
* Classics/Clasicos (2010)
* Otra Vez (2011)
* To Beny Moré with Love (2017)

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result |
| ASCAP Latin Music Awards | 2000 | "Bella" | Most Performed Song | Won |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | 1992 | "Coming Out of the Dark" | Most Performed Songs | Won |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | 1994 | "Angel" | Most Performed Songs | Won |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | 1994 | "Do You Believe in Us" | Most Performed Songs | Won |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | 1994 | "Just Another Day" | Most Performed Songs | Won |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | 1995 | "I'm Free" | Most Performed Songs | Won |
| BMI Latin Awards | 1993 | "Otro Día Más Sin Verte" | Song of the Year | Won |
| BMI Latin Awards | 2001 | "Bella" | Award-Winning Song | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1994 | "Just Another Day" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1994 | "Do You Believe in Us" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1994 | "Angel" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1994 | "I'm Free" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1996 | "Mental Picture" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1996 | "If You Go" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 1998 | "Too Late Too Soon" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| BMI Pop Awards | 2001 | "She's All I Ever Had" | Award-Winning Songs | Won |
| Billboard Music Awards | 1993 | Himself | Top Adult Contemporary Artist | Won |
| Billboard Latin Music Awards | 2001 | "Así" | Latin Dance Club Play Track | Nominated |
| Cash Box Year-End Awards | 1994 | "If You Go" | Top Pop Album | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 1993 | Himself | Best New Artist | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 1993 | Otro Día Más Sin Verte | Best Latin Pop Album | Won |
| Grammy Awards | 1996 | Amor | Best Latin Pop Performance | Won |
| Hit Awards (Hong Kong) | 1993 | Himself | Top Male Artist | Won |
| Latin Grammy Awards | 2017 | To Beny Moré With Love | Best Traditional Tropical Album | Won |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1993 | Himself | Male Artist of the Year, Pop | Won |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1993 | Himself | New Pop Artist of the Year | Won |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1993 | Jon Secada | Pop Album of the Year | Won |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1993 | "Angel" | Pop Song of the Year | Nominated |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1993 | "Otro Día Más Sin Verte" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1994 | Himself | Male Artist of the Year, Pop | Nominated |
| Lo Nuestro Awards | 1995 | "Si Te Vas" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 1993 | BMI Awards | Most Performed Latin Song | "Otro Día Más Sin Verte", "Sentir", and "Cree en Nuestra Amor" (Do You Believe in Us) | Won |
| 1993 | The World Music Awards | Best-Selling Latin American Recording Artist | Himself | Won |
| 1993 | The Caribbean Music Awards | Best New Latin Pop Album | Otro Día Más Sin Verte | Won |
| 1993 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Best Latin-Pop Album of the Year | Otro Día Más Sin Verte | Won |
| 1993 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Best Latin-Pop Artist | Himself | Won |
| 1993 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Best New Latin-Pop Artist of the Year | Himself | Won |
| 1993 | Rolling Stone Magazine | Best Male Vocalist | Himself | Won |
| 1994 | Asian Music Awards | Best Pop Song | "Mental Picture" | Won |

## Television series

* Alice's Wonderland Bakery as King of Hearts