Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucía, who helped make flamenco a universal music, died in Mexico of a heart attack, informed the city of Algeciras, Andalusia, his hometown.
According to early versions received via phone by the municipal authorities, the artist died in Cancun (Mexico) at 66 years of age as a result of a heart attack.
Immediately City Hall expressed the readiness to organize the funeral acts, pending the decision of the family of the musician who, among other distinctions, had doctorates Honoris Causa by the University of Cádiz and the Berklee College of Music.
Francisco Sánchez Gómez, better known as Paco de Lucía, was born on December 21, 1947 in Algeciras and gave flamenco a universal dimension with arrangements and virtuosic interpretations that led him to be considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time in the world. The stage name comes from his Portuguese mother Lucía Gómez, which made him child identified as Paco “of Lucia”.
His fiery flamenco provided unique sounds featured in memorable works such as Friday Night in San Francisco, Passion, Grace and Fire, and The Guitar Trio with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin, recognized as jewels of the guitar and jazz.
He received the prize Prince of Asturias Arts (2004) and Grammy Awards in different categories, the Premio Nacional de Arte Flamenco guitar and the gold medal to the merit in fine arts, among other distinctions.
The career of Paco de Lucía began at 12 years of age when he formed the duo Los Chiquitos with his brother Pepe (voice), with whom he recorded his first album.
Later he was a guitarist for the Spanish classical Ballet company and recorded his first solo records in the sixties, although his consecration came in 1970 with Paco live from the Royal Theatre, the first disc of gold of his career.
He formed the duo El Camaron-De Lucia, with more than 10 discs, including El Duende Flamenco (1972) and Fuente y Caudal(1973), and then founded Sexteto, which gave a new dimension to flamenco groups. (PL)