Multi Latin Grammy Award winning performer Juanes has been named the 2019 Person of the Year by the Latin Recording Academy.
The 46 year old Columbian born musician has won 23 Latin Grammy Awards – seven in one year. He has also earned two Grammy Awards.
Honoured for his music and philanthropic endeavours, Juanes joins previous winners including Marc Anthony, Miguel Bosé, Vicente Fernandez, Juan Gabriel, Alejandro Sanz, Gloria Estefan, Maná, and Shakira.
Juanes has established the Mi Sangre Foundation and Paz Sin Fronteras (Peace without Borders).
He will be honoured in a gala event on November 13 at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas just prior to the annual Latin Grammy Award presentation on November 14.
This marks the 20th anniversary of the Latin Grammy Person of the Year.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation which counts among its endeavours as giving scholarships to Latin music students around the world.
Juan Esteban Aristizabal Vasquez was born in Medelin, Colubia in 1972. After learning to play the guitar from familhy members he went on to be a part of the metal band Ekhymosis while still in his teens. In 2000, Juanes embarked on his solo music career. While he currently makes his home in the United States, Juanes continues to perform for audiences in his native Spanish and has amassed eight multi platinum records, 12 number one singles, and sold over 20 million albums.
feature photo credit: By LivePict.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8400941