Back to Rock the Vote: 20 Musicians Turned Politicians

Ruben Blades

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Some people think it's impressive when a musician can also act. But Panama's iconic salsa singer and movie star didn't stop there. He's also a lawyer with a masters in international law from Harvard. And, in 2004, he added Minister of Tourism to his impressive resume. Blades first dipped his toe into politics when he formed the Movimiento Papa Egoro party and ran for the Panamanian presidency in 1994, but the man who wrote and sang Panama's unofficial second national anthem, 'Patina,' got only 18 percent of the vote. In 2004, president Martin Torrijos appointed the 'Mo' Better Blues' star to a five-year term as minister of tourism. When his term ended in 2009, the Grammy-winner went on tour.