Iglesias begins 'Crazy' tour in NYC
UPI Archives June 1, 1994
By FREDERICK M. WINSHIP, UPI Senior Editor
NEW YORK, June 1 -- Julio Iglesias kicked off a national tour at Radio City Music Hall Wednesday to launch 'Crazy,' his first English- language record album in four years.
The Spanish-born megastar is singing love songs and ballads from his new Columbia label album as well as some of his past hits during a sold- out, five-day music hall engagement.
'Crazy' has seven songs in English including the title song, long associated with Willie Nelson, and three each in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, and already is topping charts in Europe. It includes a duet with Dolly Parton, background vocals by Art Garfunkel and lead guitar and vocals by Sting.
Following the pattern established when Iglesias recorded on Frank Sinatra's 'Duets' album, he never met Parton. They recorded 'When You Tell Me That You Love Me' separately.
'She did her part, I did mine,' he said. 'Actually I wanted to sing with her, but it's a funny thing with my duets. They're all arranged through the record company. So was this song with Dolly. It was a happy accident.'
Iglesias, 50 and in his prime as a hearthrob vocalist, made his first English-language album, '1100 Bel Air Place,' 10 years ago, his first bid for the English-speaking market.
It sold 3 million copies and spawned a hit single, 'To All the Girls I've Loved Before,' but he still is not completely at home singing in English.
'Not yet,' he admitted. 'I think you have to last through two generations of audiences to be successful.
'I enjoy singing in different languages (he sings in six) but the problem is I can't express myself in English the same way I would in Spanish or French, It's like playing tennis with the right hand or the left hand.'
Iglesias said he usually does a basic album in Spanish, as many as 20 songs, then confers with his producers on what to include in an album in another language, depending on the lyrics, translations and how he feels about it personally.
'For instance, if I put out an album in French, I want to be able to sing it in France in that language.'
Iglesias was goalkeeper for the Royal Madrid soccer team but was temporarily paralyzed in an auto accident at 19. His physician gave him a guitar for entertainment during a two-year rehabilitation and his future was set.
His private life, once a topic of romantic speculation, doesn't interest him much anymore.
'After many years in the public eye, about the only think I enjoy very much is my professional life, getting my music to the people,' he said. 'When I'm home in Florida, I run several miles and swim every day. I don't go to parties anymore. I live quietly and keep to myself.'
Iglesias' months-long tour will take him to Atlantic City, N.J., Las Vegas, Nev., Dallas, Mansfield, Mass., Moline, Ill., Milwaukee, Chicago, Columbia, Md., Cincinnati, Rochester, N.Y., Lake Tahoe and Concord, Calif., with engagements still being booked.
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