Manuel Álvarez-Beigbeder Pérez (born 21 February 1932), better known as Manuel Alejandro, is a Spanish composer of Latin love songs, which are better known as ''ballads''. He has written, composed, and arranged songs for the likes of

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, Nino Bravo,

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Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual ...

, Hernaldo Zúñiga, José José,

José Luis Rodríguez José Luis Rodríguez may refer to: * José Luis Rodríguez Vélez (1915–1984), Panamanian musician *José Luis Rodríguez (singer) (born 1943), ''El Puma'', Venezuelan singer and actor *José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 1960), former Prime Mi ...

, Emmanuel,

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, Isabel Pantoja,

Rocío Jurado María del Rocío Mohedano Jurado (, 18 September 1944 – 1 June 2006), better known as Rocío Jurado, was a Spanish singer and actress. She was born in Chipiona (Cádiz) and nicknamed "La más grande" ("The Greatest"). In 2000 in New York Cit ...

Rudy Marquez Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch polit ...

, and Jeanette, among many others.

Biography

Manuel Alejandro was born in 1932 in

Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , th ...

–

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

. He is the son of one of Spain's most renowned contemporary symphonists, Germán Álvarez Beigbeder. It was his father, an accomplished musician, professor, and composer, who inspired Manuel Alejandro to pursue music and become a composer.

Musical career

Hits of the 60s

He started writing songs for Spanish singer

during the 1960s. Many of those songs are now considered classics. The list includes such hits as: * "

Yo Soy Aquél ''Yo'' is a slang interjection, commonly associated with North American English. It was popularized by the Italian-American community in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the 1940s. Although often used as a greeting and often deployed at the ...

" * "Primavera en Otoño" * "Desde Aquel Día" * "Cuando Tu No Estas" * "Cierro Mis Ojos" * " Hablemos Del Amor" * "Amor Mio" * "Digan Lo Que Digan" * "Estar Enamorado" * "Como Yo Te Amo"

Hits of the 1970s and '80s

He continued writing a few songs during the 1970s, but reached his peak in the early 1980s with the release of consecutive albums with songs performed by different international artists. A whole generation grew up listening to songs written by him, although not many knew he was the man behind those hits. His repertoire of more than 500 songs includes: * "Chabuca Limeña" by

(tribute to

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

vian singer

Chabuca Granda María Isabel Granda Larco (3 September 1920 – 8 March 1983), better known as Chabuca Granda, was a Peruvian singer and composer. She created and interpreted a vast number of Criollo waltzes with Afro-Peruvian rhythms. Granda's "La flor de l ...

) * "En Carne Viva", by Raphael * "Que Sabe Nadie", by Raphael * "Enamorado De La Vida", by Raphael * "Provocación", by Raphael * "Andando de tu Mano", by

& Hilda Aguirre * "Lo Dudo", by José José * "He Renunciado A Ti", by José José * "Amar Y Querer", by José José * "Lagrimas" by José José * " Procuro Olvidarte", by Hernaldo Zúñiga * "Insoportablemente Bella", by Emmanuel * "Ven Con El Alma Desnuda", by Emmanuel * "Este Amor Es Un Sueño De Locos", by José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" * "Dueño De Nada", by José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" * "Voy a Perder la Cabeza Por tu Amor", by José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" * "Todo Se Derrumbó", by Emmanuel * "Quiero Dormir Cansado", by Emmanuel * "Pobre Diablo", by Emmanuel * " Soy Rebelde", by Jeanette &

Iris Chacón Iris Belia Chacón Tapia (born March 7, 1950 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican dancer, singer, actress, and entertainer. She enjoys great popularity in Puerto Rico (where she had a weekly variety show for more than a decade) and in o ...

* "

Corazón de poeta ''Corazón de poeta'' (; Spanish for "Heart of a poet") is the fourth studio album by English-born Spanish singer Jeanette, released in June 1981 on RCA Victor. The album was almost entirely written and produced by composer Manuel Alejandro, who h ...

", by Jeanette * " Frente a frente", by Jeanette * "Ese Hombre", by

* "Señora", by Rocío Jurado * "Lo Siento Mi Amor", by Rocío Jurado * "Ayúdame A Pasar La Noche", by

Angélica María Angélica María Hartman Ortiz (born September 27, 1944), known professionally as La novia de Mexico (Mexico's sweetheart), is an American-Mexican actress and singer-songwriter. Her songs El hombre de mi vida (The man of my life) peaked at No. ...

* "Manuela", by

* " Un Hombre Solo" by Julio Iglesias * "

Lo Mejor de Tu Vida "Lo Mejor de Tu Vida" ("The Best of Your Life") is a ballad written and produced by Spanish singer-songwriter Manuel Alejandro, co-written by Marian Beigbeder, and performed by Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. It was released as the first single fro ...

" by Julio Iglesias

Hits of the 00s

* "Al Que Me Siga", by

* "Si Te Perdiera", by

* "

Si Tú Te Atreves "Si Tú Te Atreves" (Eng.: ''If You Dare'') is a song written and produced by Manuel Alejandro and performed and produced by Luis Miguel. It was released as the first single from the album '' Complices''. It is a romantic ballad about an intense a ...

", by

* "Te Desean", by

Personal life

He has seven children: Javier, Carlos and Patricia with his first wife and Sandra, Beatriz, Marian and Viviana with his second wife.

References

External links

«Manuel Alejandro Official Youtube Channel»
Manuel Alejandro Official YouTube Channel. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alejandro, Manuel Spanish composers Spanish male composers Eurovision Song Contest conductors 1933 births Living people People from Jerez de la Frontera Musicians from Andalusia Latin music songwriters 21st-century conductors (music) 21st-century male musicians