.:Latin Music Fest - Headliner - Michael Stuart:.
Latin Music Fest ticket includes Michael Stuart's concert

"Cuentos de la Vecindad" 1996

"Retratos" 1998

"Súbeme el Volumen" 2000

"Michael Stuart" 2002 "Que Nos Pasó" (salsa) "Que Nos Pasó" (ballad)

Michael Stuart was just nominiated for a for a Latin Grammy under "Best Contemporary Tropical Album " for the 2005 awards; click onto the Grammy.com site at: www.grammy.com/awards/latin_grammy/6th_Latin_Noms.aspx

Born in New York in 1975 of Puerto Rican parents, Michael Stuart grew with a love of many different types of music but especially Latin music. This was due in part to his Puerto Rican roots but mostly to the influence of his uncle, Israel "Timbalero" Stuart, himself a professional musician and bandleader. Stuart would play the maracas and congas and sing during his uncle's rehearsals. His only musical training was playing trumpet though he continues to enjoy the percussion instruments he played with as a youth.

His vocal talents formed quite early and although he listened to hip-hop and rock as a youth, he eventually learned to appreciate salsa by listening to some of the great salsa artists, such as Hector Lavoe, El Gran Combo and Andy Montañez. But Stuart was especially influenced by Domingo Quiñones after hearing him during a live performance in Puerto Rico.

Stuart's own vocal talents brought him to collaborate as backup singer with several well known salsa artists such as Johnny Rivera, Marc Anthony and Víctor Manuelle.

In 1996 Stuart started his career as a solo artist with his album, Cuentos de la Vecindad, released on the RMM label. The debut album included a collaborative effort with Domingo Quiíones on the Michael Jackson song, "The Lady of My Life". His success in that effort was evident, with awards such as Farándula magazine's New Artist of the Year 1996-97, named Tropical New Artist 1997 by the Tu Música Awards and a nomination for New Artist of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards in 1997.

In 1997, Stuart also collaborated with other prominent Puerto Rican music artists such as Danny Rivera, José Feliciano and Chucho Avellanet in the annual production honoring Bobby Capó: "Siempre Piel Canela", by the Banco Popular.

The following year, Stuart released his second album, Retratos and won New Salsa Artist, and Most Renown Artist of the prestigeous Paoli Awards in that same year. But Stuart's talents were not limited to the recording studio or concert stage. He was chosen to play the part of Judas in the musical play Jesus Christ Superstrar along with Olga Tañón, Domingo Quiñones and Tito Auger, at the Performing Arts Center of Puerto Rico in 1998. Stuart received the Best New Actor Award from the Theater Actors Circle of Puerto Rico for his successful effort that year. He also joined with another group of talented artists such as Ricky Martin and Gilberto Santa Rosa in Banco Popular's 1998 production of "Romance del Cumbanchero", honoring the reknown Puerto Rican artist: Rafael Hernandez.

Stuart was awarded the People's Choice award in the Tropical category at the Tu Música Awards in 1999. But even off stage, Stuart has been recognized for other fine qualities, such as the accolades he received from the Puerto Rico House of Representatives in 1999 and being singled out as an example to Puerto Rican youth by the Puerto Rico Department of Families and chosen as chairperson of the antidrug organization: "Alianza para un Puerto Rico Sin Drogas".

Stuart released his third album: Súbeme el Volumen in 2000, directed by Cucco Peña. The very successful album mixed rock, R&B, pop, hip-hop and electronic music with salsa and helped bring international attention to Stuart from countries inclding Spain, Italy and Japan.

That year he also collaborated in the soundtrack for the film "Under Suspicion", singing "Algo En Ella". The album featured other prominent Puerto Rican artists including: Carlos Ponce, Olga Tañón and Ednita Nazario. But that year was marked by an especially fulfilling event: his collaboration on "Obra Maestra" by Eddie Palmieri and the legendary Tito Puente, in which Stuart sang two songs.

Stuart's most recent album was the self-titled Michael Stuart, released in 2002 on the RMM label. The record again featured a mix of salsa, such as one song in two versions sung together with Gisselle: Que Nos Pasó in a salsa version and the same song, Que Nos Pasó as a ballad. The album has more in what will likely be another successful production.