Joe Arroyo

Joe Arroyo
Joe Arroyo performing in Colombia (1980s)
Background information
Birth name	Alvaro José Arroyo González
Also known as	El Joe
Born	(1955-11-01)1 November 1955 Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
Died	26 July 2011(2011-07-26) (aged 55) Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Genres	Joeson, Salsa, tropical, Cumbia, Porro, Chandé
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, record producer, musician,
Instruments	Vocals, Wood block
Years active	1969–2011
Labels	Discos Fuentes, Sony Music
Associated acts	Checo Acosta, The Latin Brothers, Fruko y sus Tesos

Álvaro José Arroyo González (also known as Joe Arroyo or El Joe; 1 November 1955 – 26 July 2011) was a Colombian salsa and tropical music singer, composer and songwriter. He was considered one of the greatest performers of Caribbean music in his country.

Joe Arroyo was born and raised in the neighborhood Nariño in Cartagena. Arroyo's singing career began very early, when at the age of eight he sang in brothels in Tesco, a red-light zone in his hometown. In the beginning he sang with groups like "Los Caporales del Magdalena", "Manuel Villanueva y su Orquesta", "La Protesta" and "Super Combo Los Diamantes", in 1971 he recorded with "La Promiscua". As is mentioned, pronounced, remarked, and showed by him in some of his songs "...En la Plaza de Majagual, Sincelejo..." Joe, did it concerts as young singer in this city, place, downtown.

In 1971 Arroyo had his biggest opportunity of becoming a nationally known artist. He was discovered by Julio Ernesto Estrada, the bass player and director of the band Fruko y sus Tesos and signed up with Colombian record label Discos Fuentes. He performed with the band for ten years until 1981 when he began his solo career leading his band, named "La Verdad" (The truth).

Joe Arroyo became very successful by mixing salsa, cumbia, porro, soca, compas (or konpa), zouk and other music from the African Diaspora in a unique style. Some of his most famous songs are "Rebelión","La noche" "Tania", "El ausente" and "En Barranquilla me quedo".

Arroyo was forced to cancel several performances due to his health problems. On more than one occasion, he was thought to be dead because of his abrupt absences from media attention. Joe Arroyo had to go through surgery because of problems with his eyes.

He was once seriously ill for about 3 months due to a problem with his thyroid even though many had attributed it to drug abuse, which the singer denied in Rolling Stone magazine, Argentina in January 2004.

Arroyo died in Barranquilla on 26 July 2011, after spending nearly a month in hospital due to multiorgan failure. During his stay in the hospital his health deteriorated. The day before his death, doctors announced the singer was suffering from several organ failures including renal and heart failure and he was given his final sacrament by the local bishop. The singer died at 7:45 local time.