Maestra Vida 2
RUBEN BLADESRubÃ©n Blades has been a distinguished singer, composer, actor, and  political figure.    He didn't enter the world of music by accident: he was born and raised  in the perfect environment for his future musical training. His Cuban  mother, Anoland Bellido de Luna, played the piano, and his Panamanian  father, RubÃ©n Blades, played percussion. Under their musical influence, he  cultivated his innate talent, alternating between law and political science  at the National University of Panama. Never once did he lose his love of  music, performing at local venues around the city.     In 1968, he traveled to New York, where he was invited to record an  album with the Pete RodrÃ­guez Orchestra. This opportunity allowed him to  make important contacts in the music world.    He returned to Panama to finish his studies and graduate, independent of  his career. For him, music was an immediate goal.    He returned to New York, and fate led him to a job in the mail room of  Fania Records. Direct contact with the musical talent on the label gave him  a new opportunity when Ray Barretto needed a substitute for his lead  singer, who had left the band. He found the talent he was looking for in  RubÃ©n Blades, who in turn took an important step in his musical career.   Another opportunity presented itself when HÃ©ctor Lavoe left his position  as lead vocalist for the Willie ColÃ³n Orchestra. RubÃ©n Blades took the  spot, beginning a glorious career with an uninterrupted series of enormous  hits.RUBEN BLADESRubÃ©n Blades se ha destacado como cantante, compositor, actor y figura  polÃ­tica.    No incursiona en el mundo de la mÃºsica por casualidad, nace y crece en  un ambiente que le es muy propicio para su futura formaciÃ³n musical. Su  madre, Anoland Bellido de Luna, cubana, tocaba el piano, y su padre, RubÃ©n  Blades, panameÃ±o, tocaba la percusiÃ³n. Con esta influencia cultiva su  innato talento alternando sus estudios en la Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias  PolÃ­ticas en la Universidad Nacional de PanamÃ¡, sin abandonar su   aficiÃ³n por la mÃºsica actuando en locales pÃºblicos de la ciudad.    En 1968  viaja a  Nueva York, donde se le ofrece unirse a la Orquesta de  Pete RodrÃ­guez para grabar un disco. Oportunidad que le permite contactar  con importantes figuras del medio.    Regresa a PanamÃ¡ para concluir sus estudios y graduarse, pero  independientemente a su carrera,  la mÃºsica constituye para Ã©l una  aspiraciÃ³n inmediata.    Regresa a Nueva York, y por designios del destino entra a trabajar en la  compaÃ±Ã­a Fania como organizador y mensajero de correos. El contacto  directo con su talento artÃ­stico le plantea una nueva oportunidad cuando  Ray Barretto buscando un sustituto para ocupar el puesto dejado por el  vocalista de su orquesta, encuentra en RubÃ©n Blades el talento idÃ³neo,  dando asÃ­ inicio a una importante carrera como mÃºsico profesional.    Otra afortunada coincidencia se le presenta cuando HÃ©ctor Lavoe deja  vacante el puesto de vocalista en la orquesta de Willie ColÃ³n, con el que  RubÃ©n Blades inicia una carrera consagratoria con una ininterrumpida  secuencia de grades Ã©xitos..