Lavoe moved to New York when he was only 17 years old and immediately began to perform with numerous music groups throughout the city but it was in 1967 that Lavoe's career really began. Lavoe became the lead singer in Willie Colón's band and released several songs that were hits. The improving status of Lavoe's music career was on the rise but also on the rise was his addiction to drugs. Due to the addiction Colón released Lavoe from the band but continued to help him throughout his solo career.
Lavoe's career was strung with controversial hit songs. For instance, his hit song "el cantante" was recorded against the will of the song's writer but later acknowledged as being great by the very writer who protested it. Also controversial was "bandolera," a song that subjects the woman subject of the song to beatings twice and therefore was protested by feminists.
Despite musical success in the 70s, Lavoe battled deep depression in 1978 and went into isolation from friends and family on the advice of a priest. Upon his emergence, Lavoe was drug free and confident but due to the sudden deaths of his father, teenage son and mother-in-law his personal success was short lived. In combination with these deaths was Lavoe's diagnosis of HIV that pushed Lavoe to his limit.
After a cancelled performance in 1988 due to low ticket sales, Lavoe attempted suicide in June of 1988 in Puerto Rico. Lavoe did survive the suicide attempt but due to continuous drug use and shared needles he would never completely recover. Five years late, Lavoe died in June of 1993 without a penny to his name due to AIDS complications.
Lavoe is remembered as one of the great salsa artists and an inspiration to many artists today. Here is one of his great performances of "mi gente."
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