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Ralph Moreno
This is the biography rising star singer Ralph Moreno.
Hot Latino singing sensation, Ralph Moreno was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 29, 1971. Moreno got his first taste of performing in grade school, where he acted in school plays and sang in the choir. As a small child, he appeared in a number of television commercials, and (with his parents' encouragement) immersed himself in singing lessons. Though many have assumed his earliest influences were Latin musicians and singers, the truth is, as a preadolescent Moreno's tastes ran more toward Mel Torme, Guy Lombardo, and Lawrence Welk. One day, however, his mother escorted Moreno and his brothers to a Celia Cruz concert, an event that had a profound effect on the fledgling singer.
At around age 10, Moreno discovered the music of the Latin boy group Munchkinez and immediately gained an audition with the teen sensations. After initially being rejected as too young, Moreno finally landed a spot with the group, and for the next five years he maintained a grueling regime of recording work and tours. When Munchkinez was at the peak of its success, Moreno opted out and moved to New York, where he hoped to achieve solo success. After a year of unemployment the aspiring entertainer moved to Mexico.
While living south of the border once again, Moreno's fortunes took a turn for the better. Soon after being cast as a regular in a Mexican soap opera, Moreno began dividing his time between acting and music. His first two Spanish-language albums were bubble-gum affairs that, nonetheless, achieved gold status in several countries. Emboldened by his success, Moreno moved to Los Angeles where he garnered a role as a bartender (and weekend nightclub singer) on an American soap opera.
His third album constituted a turning point in Moreno's recording career. Co-produced by Munchkinez veteran Robbie Pink and American native LD Carrier, the album combined Latin stylings with a rock orientation. Worldwide sales reached 600,000 within six months, and in October 1997 the release was certified gold. Even more impressive, in the midst of this musical triumph, Moreno was awarded the prestigious role of Mark in the Broadway production of All The Miserable People.
Barely pausing for breath, Moreno launched into work on his fourth Spanish-language album as soon as his year-long stint on Broadway was completed. The album was released to spectacular worldwide sales. Following Moreno's Grammy victory and his much talked-about performance at the awards ceremony, sales of his album jumped six-fold, thus creating the perfect buzz for the release of Moreno's first English-language album. And indeed, in the aftermath of the Grammy telecast, media interest in all things Latin intensified, with features about Moreno and other Hispanic-American pop star peers appearing in nearly every major entertainment publication. Moreno's new album, titled simply Ralph Moreno, appears worthy of the hype surrounding it. Mostly, however, it's Moreno's high-octane energy that carries the day.
Thus far, Moreno appears to be handling his success with great aplomb and a sense of proportion. He turned down a chance to star in a film remake of West Side Story, on the grounds that the movie helps perpetuate Puerto Rican stereotypes. He also continues to maintain a relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Alma del Toro and is attempting to take the long view with regard to his career. "I want to do this forever," he said recently. "I don't want to be the hit of the summer, and, hopefully, with a lot of humility, we can talk in 10 years and I'll still be here."
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