Latin Recording Academy Announces the Late Joe Arroyo as Special Awards Recipient

​The Latin Recording Academy announced its intended special awards recipients for this year's ceremonies yesterday. And late salsa heavyweight Joe Arroyo was among those named to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The announcement came just hours after Arroyo's wife, in a call to Colombian radio chain Radio Caracol, confirmed that the 55-year-old singer, who'd spent the past 29 days in intensive care in la Clinica La Asunción in Barranquilla, passed away from cardiac failure.

Latin Recording Academy President/CEO Gabriel Abaroa also released the following statement on the Cartegena-born singer-songwriter's life, death, and legacy:

Today we had the pleasure and honor of announcing our 2011 Latin Recording Academy Special Awards recipients. Among them is the celebrated artist Joe Arroyo, whose untimely passing has left us all greatly saddened. A celebrated singer, songwriter, and composer, Joe leaves a legacy of exceptional music and diverse talent. Crossing many styles including salsa, merengue and reggae, his unique abilities led him to develop his own style known as Joesón. A dedicated artist, Joe's career began at age 8 and went right up to his final days. Today and at our Special Awards Ceremony on Nov. 9, we will celebrate his music, his life, and the imprint he has made on Latin culture. Our deepest sympathies extend to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time as we remember a great music man.

Arroyo, who made salsa classics such as "Rebelion" famous, is part of a distinguished class that also includes reknowned Brazilian pop singer Gal Costa, legendary Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and seven-time Grammy winner Jose Feliciano, Mexican rocker Alex Lora, Argentinean ensemble Les Luthiers, Uruguayan percussionist Ruben Rada, and the First Lady of Rock herself, Linda Ronstadt.

The group will be honored on Wednesday, November 9, at the Four Seasons in Las Vegas as part of the week's events surrounding the Latin Grammy Awards, taking place Thursday, November 10.

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