Lilian Garcia

At 57 years old, Lilian Garcia has this physical status:

Lilián Garcia (born August 19, 1966) is a Spanish-American mixed martial arts announcer, guitarist, and former professional wrestling ring announcer best known for her time with WWE.

She is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Personal life

Garcia is a devout Catholic. She had been married for thirteen years, but the Catholic Church had the wedding annulled. Garcia married Christopher Jozeph, her second husband, on September 28, 2009.

Garca twisted her knee in heavy snow while skiing in Killington, Vermont, resulting in a fractured anterior cruciate ligament. On April 5, 2007, she underwent knee surgery in New York City under Armin Tehrany. On July 2, she returned to Raw.

Garcia almost was robbed during the 2009 World Series ticker tape parade in New York City on November 6, 2009. She said a "punk kid" appeared to her and threatened to take her phone. When Garcia didn't answer the phone, she threw her to the ground and ran away. Garcia had a scraped elbow.

Garcia was struck by a vehicle in Los Angeles on October 26, 2012, causing multiple contusions and lacerations on the left side of her body. Garcia's neck was immobilized by doctors after she was reported to be in a stable state. She was released from the hospital two days later.

Garcia filed for divorce from Christopher Jozeph on April 11, 2022.

Garcia praises wrestler Molly Holly for reuniting her with God.

Source

Early life and career

Garca was born in Madrid, Spain, on August 19, 1966. She spent the first eight years of her life in Spain due to her Puerto Rican father's service with the American Embassy, as well as an American military base, prompting her to describe herself as a "military brat" in the press. She is an excellent English and Spanish speaker.

Garcia graduated from Irmo High School in Columbia, South Carolina, on returning to the United States. She enrolled in the University of South Carolina, earning a degree with a clout.

Garca was a top-ten finalist in the Miss South Carolina beauty pageant. Garcia appeared on radio station WYYS "YES 97" in Columbia, South Carolina, with Chuck Finley in the early '90s and later had her own drive time display. For WTLK-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, she was a VJ. She also worked as a karaoke host at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia, South Carolina.

Singing career

Garca started singing as an infant in Madrid, Spain, when she was a child. She competed with her sister in singing competitions starting when she was five years old. She performed with a band at Columbia, South Carolina, in her early teens. Garcia's mother was chaperoned so she could sing. She appeared in the 1990 film Modern Love as a singer.

Garca performed the national anthem of the United States of America before most Monday Night Raw shows began on February 14, 2000, before she departed on August 1, 2016. At WrestleMania 2000, WrestleMania 21 and WrestleMania XVIII, she sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 20, WrestleMania 21 and WrestleMania XXVIII, including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Reba McEntire, Gladys Knight and Willie Nelson. With her appearance at WrestleMania XVIII, she tied for most musical appearances at WrestleMania. Garcia now holds the most musical appearances at WrestleMania, with three of them.

Garca made a name for himself in professional sports, with appearances for the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball. Kathie Lee, Dancing with the Stars, and as an opening act for James Brown appeared at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Live with Regis, and Kathie Lee, Dancing with the Stars.

"Shout," Garca's first single, debuted at No. 1. In October 2002, Billboard Hot 100 reached 69 points. Garcia reflected on her reaction to the news in 2007. "I remember the first week it charted No. 1 when my single came out years ago and it was just a single." I was screaming as I grabbed Billboard, joking about it and screaming, 'I made Billboard!' I was screaming as I rushed down the streets of New York, screaming and yelling, 'I made Billboard!'

I made Billboard!'

I'm dreaming about this moment."

Torrie Wilson's entrance theme for WWE Anthology, a compilation album WWE released in November 2002, was captured on Garcia's "Need A Little Time." She co-wrote "You Just Don't Know Me At All," with producers Doug Kistner and Anthony Krizan, which WWE released in January 2004 on the WWE Originals album and became her entrance theme.

Garca began working on a solo album in 2005 with Grammy award-winning record designers George Noriega and Tim Mitchell, who collaborated with multi-platinum artists including Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez. "I Want to Live!" Alicia Vivira's album "Quiero Vivir!" was released on October 9, 2007, via Universal Music Latino. Garcia co-wrote 11 songs on the album, including three with Jon Secada, who co-wrote three songs on "Adonde." The album includes ten Spanish language tracks as well as two English translations; "Under in Love" ("Desenamorada") and "Where Did Love Go?" ("Adonde") (Adonde)

The title track, "¡Quiero Vivir!

"Ita" became her entry theme at the university.

Garca began work on a follow-up album after leaving WWE in August 2016. In February 2011, she and Noriega and Mitchell reunited to record the first song in Miami, Florida. Oh, Hush, a Grammy-nominated musician, has released tracks. Garcia released My Time, an EP on August 17, 2012. "U Drive Me Loca," "Ur Girl" (til the end of the world), "Fix You," "Over & Over," "Tell Me," and "My Time" are six English tracks on the EP. Garcia performed "U Drive Me Loca" on December 2011 to promote the appearance of My Time in 2011. "Ur Girl ('Til the End of the World)," her second song off the album, was her entrance theme when she returned to WWE. In March 2012, she released a music video for the track. Garcia's "Over & Over" music video was released in January 2013.

Garcia appeared at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 13, 2011. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, her appearance on the red carpet was seen the following night.

Garcia and her band, The Fuse, will be performing at Club Madrid in Henderson, Nevada, just south of Las Vegas, on May 27, 2014. On June 14, 2014, she appeared in her first performance.

Professional wrestling career

In 1999, Garca was hired by the World Wrestling Federation as a ring announcer. In Ames, Iowa, she made her debut on Raw is War, August 23, 1999. When Jeff Jartt yelled her out of his place by disqualifying Luna Vachon, she was involved in her first appearance on the September 13 episode of Raw is War, when she flashed a figure four leglock to her.

Garcia's second appearance on Raw's December 13, 1999, episode. Miss Kitty was introduced by Lilian for a Women's Championship chocolate pudding pool match. Miss Kitty grabbed the microphone and told Lilian that she would now be known as "The Kat" after Liliana announced her. Tori came out for their match, and X-Pac arrived poolside in a skin diving suit complete with snorkel, flippers, and goggles right after the two women began. Tori jumped on his back, causing both of them to sink into the water with X-Pac landings on top of Miss Kitty, giving Miss Kitty a simple pinfall as he was adjusting his goggles. Lilian declared the winner "Miss Kitty," which enraged The Kat, who threw Lilian into the pool of pudding.

On February 11, 2000, Garcia performed the national anthem of the United States of America for the first time at a house show in Denver, Colorado. After hearing that she did a good job, Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon had her sing the anthem before Raw went on the air in San Jose, California, on February 14, 2000. McMahon was so impressed with her appearance, she had Garcia anthem every week before Raw. WrestleMania 2000 in Anaheim, California, was her first televised performance on April 2, 2000, where she opened WrestleMania 2000.

Garcia sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the SmackDown episode in 2001, following the September 11 attacks. Garcia reflected on the assaults in the evening, saying, "Well, to say the least, this has been a real roller coaster of a week." And in particular because I live in New York City. I have loved ones there, and I'm just so thankful and thankful that a particular one didn't get to attend his meeting at 8:30 in the morning that he was supposed to be at the Twin Towers, and so I thank God for that, but a few of my friends are still don't know about a few of their neighbors. We'll be finding out little by little, I guess. Everyone here is praying for them."

Garca briefly feuded with rival announcer Howard Finkel after Finkel left her to be decimated by 3-Minute Warning, resulting in a "evening gown versus tuxedo match" for Garcia in August 2002, with the help of Stacy Keibler and Trish Stratus.

Garcia was performing "America the Beautiful" to the audience on May 26, 2003, when she was interrupted by La Résistance members Sylvain Grenier and René Duprée as they insulted America, saying they should've been more like the French and mocked the American people by calling them "fat and ugly." Garcia's co-general manager, Stone Cold Steve Austin, was thrown out of the picture and delivered a Stunner to Duprée just after. Austin performed "America the Beautiful" with Garcia after the two Frenchmen stepped out of the ring, and the two Frenchmen were joined by the two Frenchmen on a beer bash.

Garcia revealed Trish Stratus as the winner of a bra and panties match over Jackie Gayda on November 24 of Raw. Gayda snatched Garcia down to her black bra, angering him.

Garca's on-screen romance with wrestler Viscera began in June 2005. Garca came to Viscera, showing that she wanted to marry him during the Vengeance pay-per-view on June 26, she revealed the situation. When Viscera refused Garcia in favour of The Godfather's Hos, the situation came to a vengeance. The angle was briefly revived eleven months after Viscera suggested to Garcia on May 22, 2006, but an answer was delayed by Umaga before being returned.

Garca debuted her first major Diva magazine in 2005 with the debut of the Divas 2005 swimsuit magazine and the WWE's companion DVD Viva Las Divas.

As she stood on the ring apron, wrestler Charlie Haas (legitimately) suffered a strained wrist when wrestlinger Charlie Haas inadvertently knocked her to the ground. The crash had morphed into a plotline one week later, with Haas incurring Viscera's fury. Viscera's mistakenly drop on Garcia during a confrontation with Haas ended on the episode on July 10, 2006, when the storyline ended. Garcia was barred from television for several weeks in order to sell the Samoan drop.

Garca was featured in her second major Diva magazine in 2007 with the introduction of WWE Divas Do San Antonio in honor of the WWE's presence in San Antonio for the Royal Rumble.

Garca was humiliated in the ring on April 2, 2007, when Vince McMahon revealed her black lycra panties after Vince McMahon attempted to conceal his newly shaven bald head under her skirt. The incident resulted in a significant rise in searches for Garcia on the Internet, with searches for "Lilian Garcia" up 301% and becoming the fourth most searched-for term on Yahoo!

She appeared on Raw on July 2, 2007, after taking time off to recover from a skiing injury in which she tore the ACL in her right knee. She was not fully recovered from only announcing the first two matches from the ring and the remainder from the ground, as was shown by her only tweeting.

Garcia announced her latest album, "Quiero Vivir," on Raw's August 6, 2007. Lilian then started a rivalry with Jillian Hall, who claimed to be a better singer than Lilian. She sang "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra next week, before being interrupted by Santino Marella.

Garcia, in addition to announcing on Raw and pay-per-view matches, also announced on WWE Superstars, making her first appearance on April 23, 2009.

Garcia celebrated ten years with WWE this week, becoming the company's first and only "Decade Diva" during the last week.

Jerry Lawler, of Little Rock, Arkansas, announced it on the live audience on September 21, 2009, Garcia's last night with WWE. Garcia gave a rousing speech in the ring thanking the fans and all of her colleagues. Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry were competing on the team of John Cena, Montel Vontavious Porter, and Mark Henry, but Primo and Chris Masters was taped earlier this evening and aired three days later on WWE Superstars, marking her final television appearance.

Prior to the evening's Raw telecast, Garcia performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the Madison Square Garden audience on November 16, 2009. Garcia, the Raw ring announcer, was forced to leave Europe with other WWE Superstars and crew members as a result of the Eyjafjall volcanic eruption. Her appearance sparked a surge in internet searches, with the term "Lilian Garcia" becoming the eighth most searched-for word on Google that evening and into the next day.

WWE revealed Garcia would return to ring at 7:30 a.m. on December 5, 2011, the first time an actor appeared on SmackDown. She appeared at the show's tapings on December 6th. In addition, she served as the ring announcer for Main Event and pay-per-views.

Before coming to SmackDown tapings in 2012, Garcia suffered in injuries. The strap on her left shoe broke while heading to the ring prior to the March 13 taping in Columbus, Ohio. She tripped over pyrotechnic equipment on the roof of the stage and collapsed on her knees while landing on the ramp one month later, one month later. Garcia was shown dance steps by Fandango and insulted on the SmackDown episode on April 19, 2013.

She appeared on SmackDown's episode on June 6, 2014, when Fox lost a match to Natalya. Garcia returned as the full-time ring announcer for Raw on October 20, 2014, after Justin Roberts was banned from WWE. Lilian returned from knee surgery at Elimination Chamber on May 31.

Garcia's father, who was fighting two unidentified forms of cancer, died on August 1, 2016, leaving her to care for her ailing father. On December 26, she announced that her father died on Christmas Day.

Garcia performed the American national anthem on December 14, 2016, at WWE Tribute to the Troops, where she performed the American national anthem.

On July 4, 2017, she made another special appearance before the audience at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the evening's SmackDown Live telecast.

On September 12, 2017, she was also the ring announcer for the Mae Young Classic's finals.

Garcia was honored on January 22, 2018, in the Raw 25 Years special episode, including Bella Twins, Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Michelle McCool, Maria Kanellis, and the Hall of Famers Jacqueline and Trish Stratus.

In WrestleMania 34's pre-show on April 8, 2018, she announced the first-ever WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.

She announced the first-ever WWE Women's Pay Per View WWE Evolution on October 28, 2018. Garcia made a special appearance at the Raw Reunion on July 22, 2019.

Source