Jose Tillan
Encyclopedia
José Tillán is a media executive and professional musician, composer and Latin Grammy winning producer whose career has primarily been focused on the Latin music industry.
on May 24, 1966. He moved to Spain with his family in 1968, where he lived until 1976. They moved to the United States in October 1976 and settled in Miami, FL – where he still resides. Tillán attended Kinloch Park Elementary, West Miami Jr. High and graduated from South Miami Senior High. He attended Miami-Dade College and experimented with various majors: art, psychology, music, computer-science, accounting and finally ended with AA in Business Administration. He then went to Florida International University
and majored in International Marketing.
, at the now defunct Sunrise Musical Theater in Sunrise, FL on Monday, December 8, 1980 (a very memorable night - John Lennon
's assassination). He bought a bass guitar for ten dollars at a local pawnshop and started to play with his two best friends Carlos "Freak" Alvarez and Kenny Nunez. In 1984, they formed 'FORGET THE NAME' (later FtN), a band that Tillan was a member of for approximately 9 years. FtN performed primarily in South Florida where they developed a strong following. The eventually started touring the East Coast of United States and had three commercial releases - ‘Water and Walls’, ‘The Subtleties of Anger’ and ‘Stones for Steven.’ The band called it quits in the first half of 1993.
, Peruvian pop-roots singer-songwriter Pepe Alva and punk-rock outfit Joe Popp. After approximately 4 years as an artist manager, he closed MATT Entertainment and joined MTV Networks as the Director of Music and Talent.
Tillán spearheaded MTV
’s multi-award winning ‘Unplugged’ series for MTV Latin America with artists such as Shakira
, Mana
, Alejandro Sanz
, La Ley
, Julieta Venegas
, Diego Torres
and Ricky Martin
. Under Tillan’s tutelage, the MTV Unplugged
CD/DVD releases have generated worldwide sales of over 12 million units and have won various Grammys, Latin Grammys and numerous other awards.
In 2001 Tillán was instrumental in launching the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
(Los Premios MTV), Latin America’s premiere award show and the network’s highest rated property. While co-producing the VMALA’s, Tillan has worked with artists such as Carlos Santana, Evanescence, Robbie Williams, The Beastie Boys, Nelly Furtado, KORN, Gustavo Cerati, Lenny Kravitz, Paulina Rubio, Molotov, Dido, Metallica, Paramore, Wisin y Yandel, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
, 50 Cent, Calle 13 and The Black Eyed Peas among others. Since 2003, Tillan also produced and arrange the opening musical segments for the show, working closely with artists such as Ricky Martin, Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Daddy Yankee, La Ley, Vicentico, Alex Lora, Aterciopelados, Plastilina Mosh and Diego Torres.
. He oversees all aspects of the business, including the overall content strategy of the channel and the development of branded entertainment. Tillán remains also the Executive Producer of all major productions including Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica and Unpluggeds. He continues to write and produce as a member of Popvert, with Marthin Chan (Volumen 0), Brendan Buckley (Shakira
) and Jolie Lindholm (The Rocking Horse Winner) as well as a solo artist under the name of Pepvert.
) (LARAS). He also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
Popvert
Pepvert
Early life
Tillán was born in Banes, CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
on May 24, 1966. He moved to Spain with his family in 1968, where he lived until 1976. They moved to the United States in October 1976 and settled in Miami, FL – where he still resides. Tillán attended Kinloch Park Elementary, West Miami Jr. High and graduated from South Miami Senior High. He attended Miami-Dade College and experimented with various majors: art, psychology, music, computer-science, accounting and finally ended with AA in Business Administration. He then went to Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
and majored in International Marketing.
The Band years
His interest in music was sparked after attending a concert by The PoliceThe Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, at the now defunct Sunrise Musical Theater in Sunrise, FL on Monday, December 8, 1980 (a very memorable night - John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's assassination). He bought a bass guitar for ten dollars at a local pawnshop and started to play with his two best friends Carlos "Freak" Alvarez and Kenny Nunez. In 1984, they formed 'FORGET THE NAME' (later FtN), a band that Tillan was a member of for approximately 9 years. FtN performed primarily in South Florida where they developed a strong following. The eventually started touring the East Coast of United States and had three commercial releases - ‘Water and Walls’, ‘The Subtleties of Anger’ and ‘Stones for Steven.’ The band called it quits in the first half of 1993.
The music industry
In 1993, Tillán left the 'stage' and started a boutique management company named MATT Entertainment, where he managed Cuban-American singer-songwriter Nil LaraNil lara
Nil Lara is a Cuban-American musician from Miami, Florida who is a singer, guitarist and songwriter, playing the tres, the six-stringed Cuban guitar, and the cuatro, a Venezuelan guitar.- Biography :...
, Peruvian pop-roots singer-songwriter Pepe Alva and punk-rock outfit Joe Popp. After approximately 4 years as an artist manager, he closed MATT Entertainment and joined MTV Networks as the Director of Music and Talent.
Tillán spearheaded MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
’s multi-award winning ‘Unplugged’ series for MTV Latin America with artists such as Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
, Mana
Mana
Mana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....
, Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz , is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist...
, La Ley
La Ley
"La Ley" is Spanish for "The Law"*For the Chilean rock band, see La Ley .*For the Argentine publishing company, see La Ley .*For the Spanish-language radio station in Goldsboro, North Carolina, see WYMY....
, Julieta Venegas
Julieta Venegas
Julieta Venegas Percevault , known professionally as Julieta Venegas, is a Mexican singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer, who sings pop-rock in Spanish. She speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish fluently. She has a twin sister, Yvonne, who is a photographer...
, Diego Torres
Diego Torres
Diego Antonio Caccia Torres , is an Argentine Grammy Award-nominated pop singer and composer.-Biography:Diego Torres was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Argentine singer Lolita Torres...
and Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
. Under Tillan’s tutelage, the MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
CD/DVD releases have generated worldwide sales of over 12 million units and have won various Grammys, Latin Grammys and numerous other awards.
In 2001 Tillán was instrumental in launching the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
Premios MTV Latinoamérica was the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 to celebrate the top music videos of the year in Latin America and the world. They are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV Networks Latin America...
(Los Premios MTV), Latin America’s premiere award show and the network’s highest rated property. While co-producing the VMALA’s, Tillan has worked with artists such as Carlos Santana, Evanescence, Robbie Williams, The Beastie Boys, Nelly Furtado, KORN, Gustavo Cerati, Lenny Kravitz, Paulina Rubio, Molotov, Dido, Metallica, Paramore, Wisin y Yandel, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
, 50 Cent, Calle 13 and The Black Eyed Peas among others. Since 2003, Tillan also produced and arrange the opening musical segments for the show, working closely with artists such as Ricky Martin, Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Daddy Yankee, La Ley, Vicentico, Alex Lora, Aterciopelados, Plastilina Mosh and Diego Torres.
Present Day
Tillán is currently the General Manager /Executive Vice-president of MTV Tr3sMTV Tr3s
Tr3s is an American cable, satellite and over-the-air network that prides itself as a bi-cultural entertainment destination. It is rooted in the fusion of Latin America and American music, cultures, and languages, bringing the biggest names in pop, urban, and rock music...
. He oversees all aspects of the business, including the overall content strategy of the channel and the development of branded entertainment. Tillán remains also the Executive Producer of all major productions including Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica and Unpluggeds. He continues to write and produce as a member of Popvert, with Marthin Chan (Volumen 0), Brendan Buckley (Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
) and Jolie Lindholm (The Rocking Horse Winner) as well as a solo artist under the name of Pepvert.
Accomplishments
- 2007, Tillán was inducted to the Miami Dade College Hall of Fame for his merits in the entertainment field.
- 2007 Tillán received a Latin Grammy as the Video Producer of MTV Unplugged (Ricky Martin album)MTV Unplugged (Ricky Martin album)- Charts :- Sales and certifications :- Year-end charts :- Decade-end charts :- Credits :Raphael Alkins EngineerWanda Berrios Make-Up, CabeloGustavo Borner EngineerRichard Bravo Percussion...
. - 2008 Tillán was awarded once again his second Latin Grammy for MTV Unplugged (Julieta Venegas album)MTV Unplugged (Julieta Venegas album)- DVD :- Personnel :* Gustavo Borner: Recording engineer, mixing, mastering. Mixed at: Igloo Music * Juan Pablo Falluca: Movil recording* Juan Carlos Ertze: Recording ssistant* Gabriel Castanon: Recording assistant...
.
Organizations
Tillán has served as the President of the Florida Chapter as well as a National Trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). He serves as part of ‘the President’s Council’ for the (Latin Academy of Recording Arts & SciencesLatin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences , is a multinational membership-based association composed of music industry professionals, musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other creative and technical recording professionals...
) (LARAS). He also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
Discography
Forget The Name- Water and Walls
- The Subtleties of Anger
- Stones for Steven
Popvert
Pepvert