Died On This Date (February 25, 2014) Paco de Lucía / World Renowned Flamenco Guitarist
themusicsover Paco de Lucía (Born Francisco Sánchez Gomes)
December 21, 1947 – February 25, 2014
Paco de Lucía was a Spanish musician who was considered THE greatest Flamenco guitarist in the world during most of his lifetime. Born into a musical family in Algeciras, Spain, de Lucía began learning the guitar as early as 5 years old, often practicing 12 hours a day upon his father’s strict orders. Pretty much done with school at the age of 11 due to his family’s poverty, De Lucía began earning his keep playing on the streets of Algeciras and beyond. By the 1960s, De Lucía, who had no formal music training, had pretty much single-handedly reinvented Flamenco by incorporating jazz, classical and salsa into it. During the ’70s, he began collaborating with the likes of Al Di Miola, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell much to the delight of jazz fans around the world. His 1981 album with McLaughlin and Di Miola, Friday Night in San Francisco, is one of the most celebrated of the genre. Throughout his 50 year+ career, de Lucía was presented with two Grammys and numerous awards and recognitions. De Lucía all but retired during the mid 2000s, but continued to release an occasional project and perform live at special events. While vacationing on February 25, 2014, Paco de Lucía suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 66.
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