Latin Heat, Rock Beats to Spice Up the 2008 Aruba Music Festival

Latin Superstar Gloria Estefan and Rock Legends REO Speedwagon Headline Seventh Annual Musical Celebration October 10 to 11, 2008

This summer the white-sand shores of Aruba are getting even hotter as the island paradise is getting ready to host the Seventh Annual Aruba Music Festival, featuring arena rock legends, REO Speedwagon (October 10) and Grammy Award-winning queen of Latin music, Gloria Estefan (October 11).

Aruba’s visitors will get the opportunity to dance to the incredible rhythms and beats of Estefan’s infectious Latin grooves as well as enjoy rocking out to the iconic anthems of REO Speedwagon, all the while savoring Aruba’s famous near-perfect weather, amazing land and water to-do’s and some of the friendliest folks in the Caribbean.

Columbus Day weekend in Aruba is a must-do this year as two extraordinary performances at the Aruba Entertainment Center are sure to leave Aruba’s first-time guests and loyal visitors alike singing the island’s praises a little louder in 2008.

As one of the biggest stars to emerge in 1980s, Cuban-born Gloria Estefan predated the coming Latin pop explosion by a decade, scoring numerous hits throughout her over 30-year career in music.

Among the undisputed arena rock kings of the early 1980s, REO Speedwagon was at the top. REO Speedwagon first formed four decades ago in 1968, via a pair of University of Illinois students. In 1974 the band released Ridin’ the Storm Out, their first album to chart on Billboard and spawned a concert standard with the title track.

“For the last six years the Aruba Music Festival has brought some of the music industry’s top talents to our shores to entertain visitors and local Arubans alike. We anticipate that this year’s exceptional lineup that includes Gloria Estefan and REO Speedwagon will truly be another rousing success for the island,” said Minister of Tourism and Transportation, Edison Briesen.