K. C. Porter

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K. C. Porter is an American record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. Porter has worked with such artists, as Selena, Ricky Martin, Santana, and Boyz II Men.

1 Early life
2 Recent career
3 Other interests
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Early life

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The path to his current success began at an early age for Porter, who was born in Southern California and resides there now, with his wife, Aimee, daughter Emma, and two adopted sons, Carlos and Wen Jay.

He first experienced a passion for Latin music and polyrhythms when his family moved from Woodland Hills, California to Guatemala, when he was just seven years old. In the ten years that he spent there, he came of age. Porter learned Spanish, musical arrangement, and piano. Became well-versed in both traditional and popular Latin music, as well as hits from the States, and developed a creative and multi-cultural sensibility that would change the course of his life. Porter returned to California to study music in college, and quickly landed a job as staff arranger at Hollywood’s esteemed A&M Records. While there, he had the opportunity to record artists such as: Lani Hall, Luis Angel, and Maria Conchita Alonso. Porter started to produce as well, and soon demonstrated a unique style and uncanny ability to transform Latin pop music into an accessible sound that American audiences embraced wholeheartedly, a skill that helped break Luis Miguel, Emmanuel, Ana Gabriel, and Barrio Boyzz on three continents.

[edit] Recent career

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[edit] Ricky Martin

Porter began working with Puerto Rican pop artist Ricky Martin in what would become a long and fruitful association. They first collaborated on Martin’s third album, A Medio Vivir, the artist’s first major commercial triumph. Subsequently, he produced the groundbreaking follow-up, Vuelve, which topped the Latin charts, sold eight million copies, and garnered the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Martin’s successful eponymous English-language debut on Columbia Records, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide, and is more than seven times platinum in the U.S. alone. It features the Porter produced and co-written hit "Maria", and on Martin’s latest album, Sound Loaded, Porter produced the track "Cambia La Piel". In late 2001, Sony Discos released La Historia, a 17-song collection celebrating the best of Martin’s first six albums—with well over half the tracks produced by Porter.

[edit] Selena

At the same time that his career with Martin took off, Porter was instrumental as well in introducing the rising Tejano singing sensation Selena to the Latin pop market and then to mainstream America. The first to record the young phenomenon in English, Porter handled production on Selena's 1995, Dreaming of You, 1996s Siempre Selena, and the soundtrack for the 1997 posthumous movie Selena.

[edit] Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Not only influential in the pop world, the versatile Porter has also worked extensively with Rock en Español band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs since the days when they were an unknown act. He eventually produced four noteworthy albums for the now hugely popular band: El León (1992), which gave the group a breakout in Latin America; Vasos Vacíos (1994) (which gave the group some worldwide recognition through the track "Matador’s" when it was included on the film Grosse Point Blank's soundtrack); Fabulosos Calavera, which won a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album; and 1999s Grammy-nominated La Marcha Del Golazo Solitario.

[edit] Santana

That same year, Porter took home a Grammy for his extensive work on the legendary Carlos Santanas 1999 album Supernatural, which won a record-breaking nine Grammys including Album of the Year, is certified fourteen times platinum domestically, and has achieved international sales exceeding ten million. Porter produced four songs for the album, including: "Primavera", "El Farol" (both of which he co-wrote), "Migra", and "Corazón Espinado" (featuring Maná), the album’s third single internationally. "El Farol" was also honored with a 2000 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental, and Porter’s production won "Corazón Espinado" Record of the Year at the first annual Latin Grammys that year.

He produced and co-wrote for Ceremony and Shaman, Carlos Santana's multi-platinum follow-ups to Supernatural.

[edit] Other work

Porter has written many songs, and produced albums and singles that have received Grammy awards and Grammy nominations. This includes the title track from the Salsa diva La Indias acclaimed 1999 album Sola. And Patti LaBelle's "When You Smile", a tribute song for Celia Cruz, featuring Spanish language artists Carlos Santana, Andy Vargas, and La India. This is the first collaborative effort for Carlos Santana and LaBelle from her album Timeless Journey.

In 2004 Porter produced Embrace The World Vol. 1, a collection of spiritually inspired instrumental and vocals works that blends the musical cultures of Chinese, Central American, and Persian artists.^[1]

Porter has recently produced and co-wrote Ozomatlis latest Concord Records' release Don't Mess with the Dragon and penned songs for their 2005 Grammy winning Street Signs. Also on Chilean rock act La Ley’s Grammy winning, "Libertad", also collaborations with Carlos Santana and North Algerian superstar, Khaled, entitled "Love to the People", as well as Iraqi superstar Kazem Al Sahir and Paula Cole on "Love and Compassion". The #1 Billboard Latin single "Sedúceme", for Sony Records Latin’s Salsa singing diva, La India, and the debut English-language platinum album From The Inside for Italy’s singing sensation Laura Pausini.

[edit] Other interests

Porter, a member of the Bahá'í Faith,^[2] is also the Creative Director for Oneness, the non-profit organization he co-founded in 1999 with a mission of eliminating racism and promoting racial unity through the healing power of music and the arts. Since its launch, Carlos Santana, BB King, Macy Gray, Sarah McLachlan, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, Angelique Kidjo, Quincy Jones, Ricky Martin and Jimmy Jam are among the many who have already contributed their time and talents.

Oneness holds annual Power of Oneness awards, recognizing individuals who have fostered meaningful change in the area of race relations. 2002 winners included Edward James Olmos, Nancy Miller, Nile Rodgers, Jonathan Butler, Leila Steinberg, and Joy Enriquez.^[3] In 2003 winners included Michael Jackson, Ed Begley Jr., The Jim Henson Company, Dr. Joy DeGruy-Leary and Brad Gluckstein for their contributions to Racial Harmony.^[4] The annual Songwriters' Summit for Oneness features the teaming of over 50 producer/songwriters at a one day event to create songs of social justice, racial unity and change.^[5]