Latin GRAMMY Week for the 18th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards is underway as Special Awards honorees gathered for an invitation-only event at Las Vegas' Four Seasons Hotel on Nov. 15.
The 2017 Latin Recording Academy Special Awards recipients embody multiple national traditions, contributions to history and independence, and admirable musical excellence. Or, as Latin Recording Academy President/CEO Gabriel Abaroa Jr. put it, they are "living legends" who are "all unique and all matchless."
Receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards were Lucecita Benítez (Puerto Rico), João Bosco (Brazil), Ilan Chester (Venezuela), Víctor Heredia (Argentina), Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruiz Perdigones of Los Del Río (Spain), Guadalupe Pineda (Mexico), and Cuco Valoy (Dominican Republic). Rounding out the legendary honoree roster were Trustees Awards recipients decorated engineer Jon Fausty and Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin of "Mission Impossible" fame.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">No hay palabras,más que emocionados. G R A C I A S<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LatinGrammys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LatinGrammys</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LasVegas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LasVegas</a> <a href="https://t.co/8hXdDLRi04">https://t.co/8hXdDLRi04</a></p>— Los del Río Oficial (@LosDelRioMusic) <a href="https://twitter.com/LosDelRioMusic/status/930908670745038848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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"Humility and simplicity [are] what take you to all the places in the world, and today we are really proud," Romero Monge said during Los Del Río's acceptance. "We tell young people not to throw in the towel and that anyone, if they have faith in what they do, can one day have their 'Macarena' or their 'Despacito'."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">GRACIAS A LA VIDA, GRACIAS A TODOS USTEDES!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grammy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grammy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LatinGrammy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LatinGrammy</a> <a href="https://t.co/5qNnIX5R7q">pic.twitter.com/5qNnIX5R7q</a></p>— Guadalupe Pineda (@GuadalupePineda) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuadalupePineda/status/930865651291475969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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"This speaks of a trajectory, of someone who sowed seeds that paid off and came to fruition," said Pineda. "I feel very proud to represent Mexico … and very grateful because it's been 43 years working in music, [and] I owe it to my audience."
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Benítez took an opportunity to pay a touching homage to her native Puerto Rico, which was recently ravaged by Hurricane Maria. "I want to dedicate [this award] to ... my land, to those hands that work and continue to work … so that it returns to be the island that it always has been."
