Tico Torres
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Hector Samuel Juan "Tico" Torres is the drummer and percussionist for Bon Jovi.
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[edit] Childhood
Tico was born on October 7, 1953, in New York, and brought up in Colonia, New Jersey by mother Emma Torres and father Hector, both Cuban. He attended the JFK Memorial High School.
[edit] Music career
Torres was a jazz fan as a youth and studied music with Joe Morello. Before joining Bon Jovi in 1983 he had already played live and in the studio with Frankie and the Knockouts, Pat Benatar, Chuck Berry, Cher, Alice Cooper and Stevie Nicks; recording a total of 26 albums with these artists
Tico met Alec John Such while playing with a band called Phantom's Opera and it was this friendship which led to him joining Bon Jovi. When Jon Bon Jovi, the lead singer of the band approached Torres, he was put off by the fact Jon was 9 years younger than him. Regardless of this he said it was Jon's charismatic appearance and watching Jon perform that attracted him to join the band.
[edit] Art
Known as "The Hitman," Tico discovered another talent: painting. He has exhibited his art since 1994. The successful first show was at the Ambassador Galleries in Soho, New York. Tico is a self-taught painter, who paints expressive pictures which show scenes from everyday life and the life with the band.
His painting talent was shown in one of the three videos made for the single "Who Says You Can't Go Home." There is a scene in one of the videos showing Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora painting a wall of a house a solid colour, while Tico is at the other end of the room, painting an extravagant picture on the same wall.
He also owns a fashion line for babies called Rock Star Baby. Beside baby clothing, Rock Star Baby also produces learning methods and cartoons.
[edit] Personal life
Tico and his first wife divorced soon after the formation of Bon Jovi in 1983. In 1996, Torres married Czech born model Eva Herzigova in Sea Bright, New Jersey. The ceremony was attended by their closest friends and family including Donald Trump and the members of Bon Jovi. The band serenaded Eva and her husband with hit single "Always" during the dance. Unfortunately, their marriage ended two years later. Tico married Maria Alejandra in September 2001, his third marriage. They have a son, Hector Alexander, born on January 9, 2004.
