Willy Chirino

• Name — Willy Chirino • Background — person • Birth Name — Wifredo José Chirino • Born — 5 April 1947 • Birthplace — Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río Province, Republic of Cuba • Genre — * Latin • salsa • merengue • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • musician • record producer • Years Active — 1972–present • Label — * Sony • Latinum • Website — www.willychirino.com

Following the communist revolution in Cuba, Chirino came to the United States in 1960 as part of Operation Peter Pan.

Chirino began his artistic career in Miami, releasing his first album in 1974. Since then, he has recorded over 20 albums, several of which have attained platinum and gold status. In 2006, his album Son del Alma, won a Grammy Award for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. As founder of the Willy Chirino Foundation, his philanthropic efforts have been recognized by UNICEF and the Department of State. He celebrated his 35th anniversary in music with his album Willy Chirino Live-35th Anniversary (Willy Chirino En Vivo-35 Aniversario), a CD/DVD combo of the concert. This album brought him his first nomination for 'Best Salsa Album' at the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. Most recently, Chirino and his wife, singer-songwriter Lissette Álvarez, released their first album together, Amarraditos (Bound to One Another). The CD includes a potpourri of classic Spanish-language love songs. Chirino's album, Pa'lante, was released in early 2008, after which he launched a world tour. In 2011, when asked of how his recordings of My Beatles Heart, he said that Sony scrutinized every single one of his songs and their versions, because they consider the songs by the Beatles as one of their most precious treasures, and wanted to make sure they were being used in a rightful manner. In 2014, Chirino received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas for his music career.

His first marriage was to Olga Maria Rodriguez and they had three daughters: Angie, Olga Maria and Jessica. He later married Lissette Álvarez and had three more children: Nicolle, Alana, and Gianfranco. He has three grandchildren.

Willy Chirino is recorded as having received Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and Billboard Spirit of Hope Award.