Nominees for the first Latin Grammy Awards were announced Friday in Miami. Songwriter/producer Emilio Estefan Jr. lead all nominees with six nominations, while salsa sensation Marc Anthony and singer Shakira received five nods apiece.

The program looks to pay closer attention to the diversity of Latin music than the February Grammy Awards, during which the multiple Latin performers were placed together in a short medley of song fragments. Forty categories for the program have been established ranging from pop to rock to salsa, ranchero, tejano, merengue and flamenco.

Anthony's "Dimelo" ("I Need to Know") received nods for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Male Performance. Ruben Blades' "Tiempos," Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca," Santana's "Corazon Espinado" and Carlos Vives' "Fruta Fresca" were other Record of the Year nominees. Anthony's duet with Jennifer Lopez, "No Me Ames," received two nominations for Best Pop Performance by a Duo and Best Music Video.

Estefan's six nominations include songwriting and production nods for Anthony's "De La Vuelta," as well as a nomination for his direction of Gloria Estefan's "No Me Dejes De Querer" video. Shakira's MTV Unplugged album earned her Album of the Year and Best Pop Album nominations.

Last year's entry in the Buena Vista Social Club realm, The Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer took three nominations, including Best Producer for Ry Cooder, Best Traditional Tropical Performance and, um, Best New Artist for the seventy-three-year-old Ferrer. Also nominated in the Best Traditional Tropical category was the late Tito Puente's Mambo Birdland, which took home a Grammy earlier this year. Notably absent was Puente successor Pancho Sanchez, who's Latin Jazz brought him his first Grammy in February.

Live performers haven't been announced as yet. The Latin Grammies will take place on Sept. 13 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

ANDREW DANSBY
(July 11, 2000)