The story of Granny's Grammy

For over 75 years, Angela Alvarez has been writing music about her life. But like a tree falling in the middle of the woods, no one ever got to hear it.

The 95-year-old great-grandmother had multiple notebooks full of songs hidden away – that is, until her grandson Carlos discovered them a few years back. 

• "She has been singing to us since we were kids," Carlos, 42, recalled. "Every chance she had to grab a guitar, she was singing to us."

⏮ Let's rewind: Angela grew up in Cuba, where she always had a love for music. But she was discouraged from pursuing it as a career by her father.

• Leaving music on the back-burner, Angela dedicated herself to being a mom of four children. 

💪 Trials and tribulations... Throughout the Cuban revolution, which eventually resulted in Angela being separated from her children for half a decade and fleeing to America, music was always there for her.

She documented her entire life through song. Her compositions spanned decades, but always stayed hidden in her notebooks. 

Then last year everything changed. 

📈⭐️ Murphy's Law, but positive... When Carlos discovered his grandmother's music, he made it his mission to get as much recorded as possible. 

Also a composer, he spent most of 2021 in the recording studio with Angela getting her tracks on tape. Last year, she released her debut album of 15 songs. It's available everywhere online.

• Following the release of her album, Carlos and his friends went on to film and produce a documentary about Angela's life.
• "It was probably the most fulfilling and gratifying experience of my life and my career," Carlos shared of working with his grandma on both projects.

🏆 And the winner is... In September, Angela was nominated for a Latin Grammy for best new artist – at the ripe age of 95. She's set to perform at the November 17th ceremony alongside her grandson.

🧓🏻🎵 The bottom line: It's never too late to make your dreams come true.