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Paco de Lucía RIP

Another sad passing in the world of music: one of Spain's greatest guitarists has died. In addition to being a pivotal figure in the revived popularity of flamenco music, Paco de Lucía was known around the world for work with musicians outside flamenco, most notably John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and Larry Coryell.

by Jon Davis, Published 2014-02-26

From Reuters:

Paco de Lucia, the influential Spanish guitarist who vastly expanded the international audience for flamenco and merged it with other musical styles, died suddenly of a heart attack on Tuesday evening in Mexico.

The 66-year-old virtuoso, as happy playing seemingly impossible syncopated flamenco rhythms as he was improvising jazz or classical guitar, helped to legitimise flamenco in Spain itself at a time when it was shunned by the mainstream.

From the BBC:

It is believed he had played the guitar from the age of five.

"My family grew up with the Gypsies," the guitarist was quoted as saying in a 1994 article in Guitar Player. "My father and all my brothers played guitar, so before I picked it up, before I could speak, I was listening. Before I started to play, I knew every rhythm of the flamenco. I knew the feeling and the meaning of the music, so when I started to play, I went directly to the sound I had in my ear."

At the age of 18 he recorded his first album in Madrid.

Filed under: Obituaries

Related artist(s): Paco de Lucía

More info
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/26/us-spain-delucia-idUSBREA1P0E720140226

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