Born in Tucuman, one of the smallest provinces north of Argentinaon July 9, 1935.
mercedes sosa
Since she was a child, she proved to have qualities for folk arts and music in general. At the age of 15, she won a radio contest that allowed her to have her first contract with the station.
At the age of 25, he belonged to a “new songbook movement”, group that tried to put fashions aside and emphasize the origin of national culture Argentinain the joys and sufferings of the common man.
Her husband Manuel Oscar Matusreleased his first album “songs with Basis”. But the true birth of the artist we met was due to her participation in the Cosquín National Folklore Festivalin 1965.
Participated in the recording of “Romance of the death of Juan Lavalle“, by Ernesto Sábato and Eduardo Falú, singing “valley dove“. and in a short time titles such as: “I do not sing for singing“, with famous songs like “Indian landslide song“, “Song for my America“, “Chayita from vidalero“, “the flooded“, “Zamba not to die“, “Manuel Rodriguez tune” Y “Zamba to the zafrero“. Seven months later she recorded “Brother“.
And in 1967, “to sing to my people“, he won even more affection from his public in an album full of Latin American and Argentine poetry.
Her fame was known internationally. She was proposed to be the voice of Mujeres Argentinas, a job that would materialize in 1969. It was a dictatorial time for Argentina, and she, like many other singers, suffered censorship in her songs.
He participated in the movieThe Sword Saint” Y “Tribute to Violeta Parra in Guemes”by Leopoldo Torre Nilsson and released two important albums in his career: “The cry of the earth” Y “Christmas with Mercedes Sosa“. He recorded “song with everyone” Y “when i have the land“, by Ariel Petrocelli and Daniel Toro and the beautiful “Juanito Laguna’s Christmas“, of the “Cuchi” Leguizamón and Manuel J. Castilla. In 1972 it was publishedTo victory“, an album full of songs loaded with social and political content. In 1973 I bring a people in my voice, in 1977 he paid homage to Atahualpa Yupanqui, and in 1979 he edited “Serenade for the land of one“.
In 1980 he moved to Madrid, prior to a police arrest for the lyrics of his songs. Although he could return to the country he would not be allowed to sing. He returned in 1982.
In 1983, A Son for Portinari” Y “Maria Maria“. “collective unconscious“, by Charly Garcia, “Mace” Y “Unicorn“, by Silvio Rodríguez, “cursed heart“, by Violeta Parra and “I’m going to mollar“, along with the remembered singer Margarita Palacios.
the black“, is unanimously recognized as the bearer of one of the most important voices in the world. Her works are inexhaustible and her distinctions are also here some of them.
Throughout his career, mercedes sosa was declared distinguished citizen from Tucuman, received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; the Medal of Cultural Merit of Ecuador; the Plaque of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru, in recognition of its 30 years of diffusion of Latin American song; the ACE Award 1993, for his LP “Otherwise” and the Martín Fierro 1994 for the best musical show on television.
During 1995 Mercedes Sosa received various awards and distinctions. Among them, the CAMU-UNESCO 1995 Grand Prize, awarded by the Argentine Council of Music and by the Regional Secretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean, of the UNESCO International Music Council; the UNIFEM Award, a United Nations organization that distinguished her, shortly before her performance at Lincoln Center in New York, for her work in defense of women’s rights; Platinum Konex 1995 for Best Female Folklore Singer and Brilliant Konex for Best Popular Artist of the Decade.
On September 18, 2009, Mercedes Sosa entered the Trinidad Sanatorium, located in the Palermo neighborhood. she had one kidney dysfunctionwhich evolved negatively to a cardio-respiratory failure. His health condition became critical on October 2, 2009, when he even received the extreme anointing. His health deteriorated, he suffered a drug coma, and he passed away on October 4, 2009 at 5:15 am..
Source: music today.com
Image: Mercedes Sosa