The Latin Grammys Come to Houston

The Latin Grammys recognize excellence in Latin music and are one of the most-watched Hispanic shows in the Western Hemisphere; in the U.S. alone, close to 12.5 million viewers tuned in for the 2007 show.

This year, the 9th annual Latin Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from Houston, Texas to more than 100 countries. Hosting the Latin Grammys is a first for Houston and this past Tuesday April 8, all of those involved in bringing the show to the city announced it to music fans all over.

The announcement at the Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets and site for this year’s Latin Grammys, was filled with enthusiasm as Houston’s Mayor Bill White and Latin Academy of Arts President, Gabriel Abaroa, signed “contractual bongos” to close the deal.

This year it will be Houston’s time to shine under the spotlight, as Houstonians showcase their city’s diversity, culture and music. Houston has great home-grown musicians and producers including Mathew Knowles, Beyonce’s father, and Oscar de la Rosa, lead singer of the Grammy-winning Tejano band La Mafia, both of whom participated in the conference. And Houston’s influence on today’s Latin music runs the gamut, from Latin Hip-Hop’s bad boy Pedro Herrera, to local crowd-pleasers like the Norma Zenteno Band, a Houston legend that goes back 20 years.

While the Latin Grammys will bring millions of dollars to the city in direct and indirect sales, the show also offers companies nationwide-reach to Hispanic consumers and can generate meaningful partnerships with Hispanic organizations and the city itself— Houston is the fourth-largest Hispanic marketplace in the country with larger Hispanic population concentrations than New York and Chicago.

Nominations will be announced on September 10 and the Awards will air on Univision on November 13— Houston couldn’t be more thrilled.

**Unfortunately, Houston also made music headlines recently with the tragic accident of Tejano singer and Grammy-winner Emilio Navaira, who remains in critical condition as reported by the Houston Chronicle. A bank fund has been set up to support the family during this difficult time, donations can be made payable to the "Emilio Navaira Benefit Fund" at any of Amegy Bank’s Texas locations.**