Real Name: Gloria Fajardo.Born: September 1 1957 in Havana, Cuba, but raised in Miami, Florida.
Star sign: Virgo.
Parents: Her father, a bodyguard in the employ of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, was forced to flee the island following the 1959 coup.
Lives: An island off the coast of Miami, Florida. Also owns the multi-million dollar Cardozo Hotel and beach restaurant Lario's in Miami.
Love life: Married to producer and businessman Emilio Estefan since 1979. They have two children, a son Nayib and a daughter Emily.
Trivia: Estefan's sold over 60 million records to date.
Health: While touring on March 20 1990, Gloria's bus was struck by a tractor-trailer. She suffered a broken vertebrae. Small beginnings: In 1975 Gloria and her cousin Merci Murciano auditioned for a local wedding band, The Miami Latin Boys, headed by Emilio Estefan. Band was renamed Miami Sound Machine, playing a fusion of pop, disco and salsa. Interests: Movies, amusement parks, boating, water-skiing and riding her wet bike.