Joe Arroyo

• Name — Joe Arroyo • Birth Name — Alvaro Arroyo González • Alias — El Joe • Born — 1 November 1955 • Birthplace — Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia • Died — 26 July 2011 • Place of death — Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia • Instrument — * Vocals • woodblock • Genre — * Joeson • salsa • tropical • cumbia • porro • chandé • Occupation — * Singer-songwriter • record producer • musician • Years Active — 1969–2011 • Past Member Of — * The Latin Brothers • Fruko y sus Tesos • Label — * Discos Fuentes • Sony

Joe Arroyo was born and raised in the Nariño neighbourhood of Cartagena. His mother was Ángela González, a hotel manager. His father was Guillermo Arroyo, who fathered in total 39 children, with six wives, all named Ángela. At the age of eight Arroyo began singing in brothels in Tesca, a red-light district of Cartagena, which he did for several years.

Arroyo's first credited release as vocalist was in 1970 with Manuel Villanueva Y Su Orquesta on their LP Hasta La Madrugada....!. He also sang with El Super Combo Los Diamantes in Sincelejo, and in 1970 performed vocals on their LP Capullito. Rubén Darío Salcedo, the leader of Los Diamantes, gave Arroyo the nickname El Joe. Arroyo also spent some time singing with La Protesta in Barranquilla. In 1971 Arroyo was invited to join Fruko y sus Tesos by Julio Ernesto Estrada, the bassist and director of the band. By the end of the decade Arroyo had recorded 15 albums with Fruko y sus Tesos, alongside 4 more with The Latin Brothers, all for Colombian record label Discos Fuentes. Of Arroyo's tenure with Fruko y sus Tesos, El Tiempo wrote "Thus began the legend of the first great salsa orchestra in Colombia, with which Arroyo managed to impose a stamp that Colombia still dances to today". (Spanish: "Así comenzó la leyenda de la primera gran orquesta de la salsa en Colombia, con la cual Arroyo logró imponer un sello que todavía baila Colombia".) He performed with the band for ten years until 1981, when he began his solo career leading his band, named "La Verdad" (The truth).

In 1981 Arroyo formed his own group, named Joe Arroyo y La Verdad, with whom he played around the world. The group recorded more than 20 albums between 1981 and 2007. Arroyo became very successful by mixing salsa, cumbia, porro, soca, compas (or konpa), zouk and other music from the African Diaspora in a unique style. Some of his most famous songs are "Rebelión", "La Noche", "Tania", "El Ausente" and "En Barranquilla Me Quedo".

Arroyo suffered from health problems throughout his career, which forced him to cancel several performances. On at least one occasion he was falsely reported dead. In September 1983 Arroyo was nearly killed by a thyroid problem, and in 2000 a combination of diabetes and pneumonia brought him close to death while touring in Spain. He had to go through surgery because of problems with his eyes. Arroyo's health issues have been attributed, in varying degrees, to drug use. He denied the involvement of drugs in his September 1983 illness. Arroyo died in Barranquilla on 26 July 2011, after spending nearly a month in hospital due to multiorgan failure. The day before his death, he was given his final sacrament by the local bishop. Arroyo died at around 7:45 local time.

Arroyo has won the prestigious Congo de Oro prize of the Barranquilla Carnival 10 times. In 1990 the festival created the Super Congo de Oro award specifically to celebrate Arroyo.