Biography
Born in Southern California to parents of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, Patty Cabrera infused American gospel with a distinctly Hispanic sensibility. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association selected two of her compositions for its 1992 Latin American crusade, and two years later commissioned the original piece “Take It Away” for its Puerto Rican campaign. Raised in the Adventist tradition, Cabrera was drawn in childhood to the gospel recordings of the Kings Heralds and Heritage Singers. While still in high school she performed Christian music at weddings, concerts, and youth gatherings alongside a succession of regional ensembles. Impressed by her demo, Word Records offered a recording contract. She completed her self-titled debut—issued simultaneously in English and Spanish editions in March 1991—while enrolled at Pacific Union College, from which she later received a bachelor of science in public relations. Nonstop touring followed graduation, yet Word terminated the agreement in 1992. After a two-year musical hiatus she began methodically reconstructing her career, an effort catalyzed by renewed ties to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. In 1994 she sang “Take It Away” by satellite to an estimated worldwide audience of four to five billion. At the Gospel Music Association convention in Nashville in March 1996 she publicly addressed contemporary social problems, stating that “teens are struggling with sex, struggling with drugs, and we need to get out there and be at the forefront of dealing with these issues.” Although the remarks drew rebuke from Christian periodicals, radio outlets, and her label, they contributed to her selection for People magazine’s 1996 list of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. That same year she issued her second solo album, Always & Forever, in both English and Spanish versions and performed the National Anthem at the Republican National Convention in San Diego. After a national tour alongside Jonathan Pierce, she departed Curb Records in December 1997.
Albums
