15a Entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY - 80

The recognition as the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of
the Year arrives just in time to celebrate 50 years in music. Serrat
has received nine honorary degrees from distinguished universities,
as well as prestigious honors from institutions in Catalonia,
Argentina, France, Mexico, Venezuela and Spain. To this long list
of accolades, he is now adding an award that, until recently, did
not interest him- as he admits in this exclusive conversation.
As the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Serrat
joins a distinguished list of past recipients that includes Miguel
Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis
Guerra, Carlos Santana, Shakira and Caetano Veloso.
Last night, Serrat was honored at a star-studded gala, featuring
luminaries of the Latin music world performing some of his greatest
songs. A portion of the net proceeds of this event will benefit
the Latin GRAMMY Cultural FoundationTM - which provides
scholarships, fellowships, grants, and educational programs.

Photo: Javier Salas

Twelve years ago you said you were not interested
in the Latin GRAMMY, and now the Latin Recording
Academy is giving you its highest honor. Are you
interested in receiving this award?
We have a history of mutual disinterest, a lack of common
ground. To this day, the Latin GRAMMYs have not expressed any
interest in me and have not given me any awards in the course of
the Latin Academy's history. Under those circumstances, I would
have felt frustrated had I been interested in them. Now that they
remembered me... let bygones be bygones. All's well that ends well.
El hombre, su voz y su guitarra en concierto en el 2008.
The man, his voice and his guitar in concert in 2008.
O homem, sua voz e seu violão no concerto em 2008.
Ser celebrado como la Persona del Año 2014 de La Academia
Latina de la Grabación contribuye a festejar sus bodas de oro como
artista. Serrat tiene nueve doctorados honoris causa otorgados por
conocidas universidades así también como prestigiosos premios de
instituciones en Cataluña, Argentina, España, Francia, México y
Venezuela. Ahora agrega a esta lista un premio que, según confiesa
en esta entrevista exclusiva, hasta hace poco no le interesaba.
Como Persona del Año 2014 de La Academia Latina de la
Grabación, Serrat se une a una distinguida lista de homenajeados
que incluye a Miguel Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan,
Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Shakira y
Caetano Veloso.
El homenaje a Serrat tuvo lugar anoche en una gala en la que
participaron luminarias del mundo de la música latina interpretando
algunas de sus mejores canciones. Una porción de la recaudación
neta de este evento beneficiará a la Fundación Cultural Latin
GRAMMYTM, la cual provee becas de estudio e investigación,
subvenciones y programas educativos.
Hace doce años dijo usted que los Latin GRAMMY no le
interesaban, y ahora la Academia Latina de Grabación,
que confiere los Latin GRAMMYs, le concede el más
alto honor que discierne: la Persona del Año 2014.
¿Le interesa recibirlo?
Hemos tenido una historia de desinterés mutuos, un desencuentro.
Hasta la fecha los Latin GRAMMY no se interesaron por mí y

80

15th ANNUAL LATIN GRAMMY AWARDS®

You are celebrating 50 years as a singer and composer.
If we take a quick look, few of the musicians who were
popular in 1964 are still around. What happened?
A few of them passed away. Others found work that was more
interesting or better paid. Others fell into oblivion and a few of us
remain active.
Have you changed as a person? Have your songs
changed?
My songs are the result of personal experience. They change
according to the changes in my life. I see life as a learning
experience and as a process of combustion, where you create your
own path according to your possibilities.
Among the many things that happened in the past 50
years, one of the most dramatic and unexpected was
the collapse of the music industry as we knew it ...
I don't believe it was unexpected. The record business has been
incapable of incorporating the latest technologies at the service
of a more creative and open industry in which there is room for
all forms of expression. Today there are still great music makers,
but the outlets where they can showcase their talent are few and
isolated.
You have performed songs in all formats: with piano
and guitar, a group and symphony orchestra. Where do
you feel most comfortable?
Every song allows for any type of accompaniment: from the
simplest to the most sophisticated one. What matters is not the
format, but the treatment of the song.
15a Entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY

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