Gloria Estefan is 'Little Miss Havana' on her new comeback single - listen now!

One of these is a man.

Back in the 90's something happened.  It was an amazing, glittery, fabulous disco ball of a thing, and it was called GLORIA ESTEFAN'S CAREER.  

We know that the music buffs out there will point out that she started her ascent into Latina Divadom back in the 70's (and that two of her biggest hits, the VERY GOOD 'Dr. Beat' and 'Rhythm Is Gonna Get You' were huge in the 80's), but for us she really came into her own in 1991 with the release of the kind-of-amazing 'Live For Loving You' with its day-glo tacky video and "ooooooooh la la la la la la la" refrain that none of you will be able to get out of your head for the rest of the day (you're welcome). 

And it only got better from there.  The underrated 'Go Away' in 1993 failed to chart but thanks to heavy rotation on VH1 is permanently etched in our memory as the soundtrack to an awkward adolescence, while her cover of 'Everlasting Love' and its ridiculous drag queen video gave THE GAYS a pop icon they could rally behind.  The apex came with 'Turn The Beat Around' nearly scraping the US Top 10, and then it was 2000, Gloria went back to her Latin roots, and everyone stopped caring.  (sad face emoticon, etc.)

But she's back, amigos!  The fabulous songstress who even a near-paralyzing bus crash couldn't keep down is launching her new album with dance track 'Little Miss Havana.'  It's the title track from her new LP, and it's....."pleasant." 

We totally get that she's like 80 or something, and probably doesn't want to go balls-to-the-wall anymore, but come on G-dog.  Cher was 110 and chucked out 'Believe.'  It's not that 'Havana' is bad, mind you, it's just in a Gaga/Britney/Ke$ha world it's going to take more than a thumping beat to make any sort of impact.  Still, while it's nowhere (read: NOWHERE) near the brilliance of some of Gloria's past tracks, it's nice to have her back. 



"Not a hit."

3. The Shared Traits in "The Self-Empowed Woman"

Dear Followers,

So far I've been quizzing you about American women who are high achievers and today I'll answer the first two questions.

Do you know what writer Maya Angelou, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, singer Gloria Estefan and actress Demi Moore have in common? They all fall under the category of accomplished women who learned - at an early age - that they couldn't depend on Dad. There are countless reasons why a father might be unreliable - death, illness, divorce, distance, you name it. But a lot of admirable women learn that losing a father's support usually brings with it hidden benefits.

(Photo by WNYC)

Do you know what author Judy Blume, actress Geena Davis, TV newswoman Andrea Mitchell, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have in common?

These women (who have each succeeded in areas that seem to have nothing in common) share a love of and involvement with music. I found it amazing that close to the surface of many Self-Empowered Women is an enduring relationship with music, and in my book I explain this connection.

Intrigued? Today I'm going to go abroad and ask you about women from foreign locales. Do you know what Czechoslovakian tennis player Martina Hingis, Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, Canadian singer Anne Murray, and Italian film director Lina Wertmuller have in common?

The idea here is to convey the idea that when it comes to women of achievement it doesn't really matter where they come from or what they set out to accomplish because they all share certain traits.

One trait I wish I had a better grasp of is the new, high-tech world of e-publishing. This week's main activity has been re-re-re-reading the manuscript for The Self-Empowered Woman so that it can go on sale in September. Meanwhile, poor Tony types my blog at the end of each day and I try not to be like Julie Powell (Julie & Julia) as she wonders if any readers are really out there in cyberspace...

1. An Introduction to "The Self-Empowered Woman"

What do writer Maya Angelou, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, singer Gloria Estefan and actress Demi Moore have in common?

If you are interested in or intrigued by the life stories of accomplished women, then you've landed on the right blog. My name is Marilyn Murray Willison, and my new book (The Self-Empowered Woman) addresses the question: What circumstances and characteristics help create a high-achieving woman?

Together we can use this space to examine the lives of accomplished women around the world, and at the same time I can share with you the lessons I've learned about publishing my own book for the first time (my four earlier books were published the conventional - old fashioned - way).

Please visit my website http://www.marilynwillison.com/ to learn more about my background, and I look forward to hearing your answers to the question that will appear at the start of each blog entry.

If you've ever found yourself fascinated by a high-achieving woman's remarkable life - think Coco Chanel, Golda Meir or even Cher - then you're really enjoy our time together.