Salsa musician Blades visits Harvard archive

July 19, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Salsa musician and actor Ruben Blades celebrated his 61st birthday Thursday with a nostalgic visit to his archive collection at Harvard University.

The seven-time Grammy winner looked through photos, held his old records and chuckled at his change in physical appearance during his first visit to the archive at the school where he earned a master’s degree in international law in 1985.

“Look at those sideburns,” Blades said, looking at a photo of a show 30 years ago.

The collection is composed of donations from fans and items that the university purchased on eBay, including a vinyl copy of “From Panama to New York” and a poster of Blades promoting childhood literacy. Blades also pledged to contribute personal items and rare recordings— like a number with Michael Jackson in Spanish.

“I’m relieved,” he said, peering up from a box of magazines. “I thought it might end up in a trash can.”

Blades has been following his wife, jazz singer Luba Mason, on the last leg of her tour since June 30, when he stepped down from his position as Panama’s tourism minister after five years. He planned to perform a duet in Portuguese with Mason at her last tour stop Thursday night in Cambridge.

Blades’ trip to Cambridge signals his return to music and the end of his career in government.

Today’s birthdays

Country singer Sue Thompson is 83. Country singer George Hamilton IV is 72. Actor Dennis Cole is 69. Singer Vikki Carr is 69. Musician Commander Cody is 65. Actor George Dzundza is 64. Singer-bassist Alan Gorrie of Average White Band is 63. Guitarist Brian May of Queen is 62. Guitarist Bernie Leadon (Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 62. Actress Beverly Archer (“Major Dad, “Mama’s Family”) is 61. Actor Peter Barton (“Sunset Boulevard,” “Burke’s Law”) is 53. Drummer Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is 49. Actor Campbell Scott is 48. Actor Anthony Edwards (“ER”) is 47. Singer Country singer Kelly Shiver (Thrasher Shiver) is 46. Actress Clea Lewis (“Ellen”) is 44. Singer Urs Buhler of Il Divo is 38. Drummer Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie is 35. Actor Jared Padalecki (“Supernatural,” “Gilmore Girls”) is 27.