by Evan C. GutierrezJoe Veras was born on May 1, 1964, in the town of Cotui, Dominican Republic. Veras' first musical experience came via local church choirs in his native Cotui, which was followed by his relocation to Santo Domingo to attend college. During his time in the capital, Veras would decide to pursue his artistic career full-time, initiated by the release of Joe Veras con Amor in 1993. Two years later, Veras signed a contract with Hipolito Records, with whom he would re-release Joe Veras con Amor, followed by the original project Asi Es la Vida, which took his native island by storm and won him a Casandra Award in 1997. His next recording, the New York-produced Con Mas Amor, sold more than 300,000 copies, earning Veras his first platinum record. A master of the bachata style, Veras moved to the Dominican powerhouse label J&N Records, and 2003's Carta de Verano brought Veras to a new level of exposure, with hits like "Intentalo Tu" hitting the Top Ten in Billboard's Latin Tropical Airplay chart. With Veras' extensive touring history taking him all over the Americas and Europe, his music has reached audiences worldwide. Released in 2006, La Travesia brought him back to the top of the tropical music world with his Top Ten hit "En el Amor."