-
Birth
Hector Lavoe was born on September 30, 1946 to Luis and Pachita Perez in Ponce, Puerto Rico. -
Hector Goes to School, Kinda
Hector goes to school and plays hockey fro a year. He gets expelled for fighting. When he came home to his father (Hector created the word), FUUAAACATA. -
Hector gets a job in NYC
Hector goes to NYC despite his father's comment"if you go to New York, forget you have a father". He gets a job in a ten piece salsa band singing at bars and clubs for $18 a night. -
His Big Break
Hector boarded a plane to New York to achieve his dream of becoming a salsa star despite of his father's words "if you go to New York, forget you have a father". He met various stars including the famous Willie Colon and Johnny Pacheco. -
Willie Colon Time
Colon asked Hector to be part of his first album El Malo. Hector was featured on 3 songs with Willie. -
Hector's Drug Issues Causes the Break Up
Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe split up. Hector was doing a load of drugs and started coming late to shows and sometimes not even showing up. -
Hector Bounces Back
Hector comes out with El Sabio to show he is good on his own. The album was a great success. -
Goodbye Cruel World
Hector was scheduled to perform in NYC, but never showed up. He jumped out of his hotel window in an attempted suicide. He survived the attempt. He began to use a heavy amount of drugs and dangerous sexual activity. He was eventually diagnosed with HIV -
Hector's Family is Wiped Out
This is the beginning of the end for Hector. Almost his entire family was wiped out in a tragic fire. His 17 year old son was also accidently shot and killed by his best friend. -
Hector's Death
Hector's HIV eventually turned to AIDS. He died from AIDS complications. He became more famous after death with books written and the famous movie "El Cantante" made in his honor.