Las Chicas del Can
 |
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (March 2011) |
 |
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2006) |
| Las Chicas del Can | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Genres | Merengue |
| Years active | 1982–1999 |
| Members | |
| Míriam Cruz (1982-1992) Eunice Betances (1982-1992) Theresa Domínguez (1982-1992) |
|
| Past members | |
| Belkis Concepción (1982-1985) Verónica Medina (1982-1986) Luchy Betances (1982-1992) Gladys Quero (1985-1992) Adalgisa Baez (1993-1998) Michell Flores (1993-1998) Florángel Del Villar (1993-1998) Jessica Castro (1992-1993) Amarilis Garcia (1986-1987) |
|
Las Chicas Del Can is an all-female merengue group from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Originally created by Wilfrido Vargas, several teams of female vocalists and musicians have alternately performed under the name Las Chicas del Can throughout the group's history.
Originally founded in 1982, Las Chicas del Can performed hit after hit throughout the eighties, and a great number of their singles and albums achieved gold and/or platinum status. Hits such as "El Negro No Puede," "La Media María," "Sukaína," "Juana la Cubana," "Culeca," "Ta' Pillao," "Fuego," "Fiebre," and "Las Pequeñas Cosas" are now regarded merengue classics.
Lead singer Belkis Concepción left the group early in its history to go solo in 1985. Singers Míriam Cruz (the uncrowned queen of the Merengue) and Eunice Betances then teamed up and got vocal support from, among others, Luchy Betances (younger sister of Eunice) and Verónica Medina. Medina herself then went solo in 1987.
In 1993, the group reinvented itself under the name Míriam Cruz y Las Chicas. The first year under that name, they produced a successful album entitled Nueva Vida featuring a hitsong written by superstar Juan Luis Guerra, "Te Propongo." Later that year, "La Loba" was also well received by merengue fans and quickly became another hit. A European tour soon followed. In 1994 Miriam Cruz y Las Chicas scored another hit with the song "Con Agua de Sal," and 1995 included another successful European tour.
Meanwhile, the original name was kept alive by a music industry manager who discovered a group of new and talented young ladies who would carry the torch for Las Chicas del Can and leave their own indelible mark on merengue music. In 1993, Michell Flores, Adalgisa Baez and Florángel del Villar teamed up to keep the legacy alive. This stage was incredible, the new girls were hailed as the "Monumental," traveling around the globe, covering the former band's songs like "Juana la Cubana" and featuring young Costa Rican trumpeter Ana Retana. Regardless of whether any band members were heralded individually as pop icons regardless of their relatively localized fame at any point (some may claim they did not reach their fullcommercial potential), it is noteworthy that Guatemala native Michell Flores was a young singer with promise of becoming a figure at the international level. "Las Chicas" made a furor with the hit tunes "Voy Pa' allá," "Hacer el Amor Con Otro," "Celoso," "Explosivo" and "Sin Compromiso." After the albums "Botando Chispas" (1994) and "Derramando Sueños" (1996) were produced, Michell Flores went solo, and the second formation of Las Chicas del Can disbanded in 1998.
Las Chicas del Can was eventually reformed a third time in 1999, but the group was never able to achieve the success of earlier formations and it fell apart that same year. To date, the first formation of Las Chicas Del Can (with front ladies Míriam Cruz, Eunice Betances and Theresa Domínguez) has proven the most successful band [vocalist] lineup.
Discography
- Belkis y Las Chicán (1982, Karen Records)
- Chicán (1985, Karen Records)
- Pegando Fuego (1986, Karen Records)
- Mi General (1987, Sonotone Records)
- Caribe (1988, Sonotone Records)
- Sumbaleo (1990, Sonotone/Bomba Records)
- Juana La Cubana (1990, Bomba Records)
- Nada Común (1991, TH-Rodven Records/Sonotone Records)
- Explosivo (1992, TH-Rodven Records)
- Platino (1994, Rodven Records)
- Botando Chispas (1994)
- Con Mucha Potencia (1994)
- Los Años Dorados (1995, Karen Publishing Co.)
- Oro Merenguero (1996, Rodven/PolyGram Records)
- Derramando Sueños (1996, Rodven/PolyGram Records)
- Las Chicán (1997, Palma Music, Inc.)
- Nuevos Remixes (1997)
- Todo Éxitos (1998, Palma Music)
- Te Quiero Ver (1998, Pa'ti Pa'mi records)
- Botando Chispa! (1999, Palma Music)
- Caribe (1999, Palma Music)
- 17 Años (2000, Palma Music)
- Lo Mejor de: Las Chicas del Can (2002, Orfeón Videovox, S. A.)
