Published on December 17th, 2021 | by Darren Paltrowitz

Arthur Hanlon On The HBO Max Series “Piano Y Mujer,” Future Touring Plans, His New Holiday Music, Miami, Yamaha & More

Arthur Hanlon is a world-renowned Latin pianist, composer and arranger, and the star of a new HBO Max special Piano Y Mujer. Born in Detroit to Irish-American parents, Hanlon’s unusual path into the center of Latin music took him from Detroit to New York City’s Spanish Harlem, and then ultimately around the world; he now resides in Miami, Florida. Hanlon has been the subject of multiple documentaries, including the 2016 film Viajero — which saw him circle the globe in search of the “heart of latin music” — while his current special became a hit around the world, with clips like “Hallelujah” reportedly becoming one of the most viewed videos within all of YouTube in the matter of hours. And speaking of “Hallelujah,” Hanlon has a new new holiday EP and Christmas special to speak of.

The rare talent who is classically-trained yet also someone who cut their teeth playing clubs, at the age of 15, Arthur Hanlon was playing gigs with Detroit’s leading bands, hiding his age in order to enter those clubs. He earned his master’s from Manhattan School Of Music, and in 2005 he became the first pianist to hit #1 on the Billboard Latin charts. This led to multiple Billboard and Emmy nominations, #1’s and hit records, and collaborations with plenty of superstars, including Luis Fonsi, Laura Pausini and Marc Anthonye. A collaboration between Hanlon and 5 of the greatest women in Latin music today, Piano Y Mujer follows the aforementioned Viajero and the acclaimed PBS special Encanto Del Caribe, which captured Hanlon’s performance at Castillo San Cristobal; interestingly, that PBS special made Hanlon the first artist in 500 years to perform at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

On December 17, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with Arthur Hanlon via Zoom, as embedded below. Beyond the HBO Max special Piano Y Mujer, we spoke about his musical roots, paying his dues on the way to success, his work with Yamaha, his discovery of Latin music, studying at the Manhattan School Of Music, and future plans. More on Hanlon can be found by clicking here, here and here.

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Tags: Arthur Hanlon, Detroit, HBO Max, Latin Music, Laura Pausini, Manhattan School Of Music, Miami, Piano Y Mujer

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal.Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."