Alfredo Zitarrosa facts for kids

Alfredo Zitarrosa (born March 10, 1936 – died January 17, 1989) was a famous singer, songwriter, poet, and journalist from Uruguay. He was known for his unique style, often singing traditional Uruguayan and Argentine folk music like zamba and milonga. He became a very important person in the nueva canción (new song) movement in his country. Alfredo Zitarrosa strongly believed in Communist ideas. Because of this, he had to live away from his home (in exile) between 1976 and 1984. Many people consider him one of the most important singer-songwriters in all of Latin America.

Biography

Alfredo Zitarrosa was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. His birth name was Alfredo Iribarne. He was born to a young mother, Jesusa Blanca Nieve Iribarne, when she was 19 years old.

Soon after he was born, his mother asked Carlos Durán and his wife, Doraisella Carbajal, to raise him. They worked for a children's council. Alfredo became known as Alfredo "Pocho" Durán. They lived in different parts of Montevideo and also moved to a town called Santiago Vázquez for a few years. They often visited the countryside near Trinidad, where his adoptive mother was born. These childhood experiences stayed with him. Many of his songs use the rhythms and styles of country music, especially milongas.

Later, Alfredo moved to live with his biological mother and her husband, Alfredo Nicolás Zitarrosa, who was from Argentina. This is how he got the Zitarrosa last name. They lived near Colonia. From there, he traveled to Montevideo for high school. He worked different jobs, like selling furniture and working in a print shop.

Early Career and First Performance

Alfredo started his career in 1954, working in radio. He was a presenter, entertainer, writer, and journalist. He also wrote for a well-known newspaper called Marcha.

His first time singing professionally happened by chance in Peru on February 20, 1964. He was on a TV show. He later said he had no money but many friends. One friend helped him get on the show, and he was paid for singing two songs. This was a big surprise for him and helped him earn some money.

After that, he went to Bolivia and hosted radio shows in La Paz. He then returned to Montevideo in 1965 and performed at SODRE (a radio broadcasting service). This performance helped him get invited to the famous Festival of Cosquín in Argentina in 1966. He performed there again in 1985.

On February 29, 1968, he married Nancy Marino. They had two daughters, Carla Moriana, born in 1970, and María Serena, born in 1973.

Musical Style and Exile

From the start, Alfredo Zitarrosa became one of the most important voices in Latin American popular music. His songs often had strong folkloric roots and showed his leftist political views. He had a deep, strong voice and often performed with guitars. This became his signature style.

He joined the Broad Front, a left-wing political group in Uruguay. Because of his political beliefs, his songs were banned in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay during the military governments that ruled those countries. He had to live in exile, meaning he lived away from his home country, starting on February 9, 1976. He lived in Argentina, Spain, and Mexico during this time.

After the ban on his music was lifted, he returned to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He gave three memorable concerts there in July 1983. Almost a year later, he returned to Uruguay. He received a huge welcome at a concert on March 31, 1984. He called it "the most important experience of my life."

Work

Alfredo Zitarrosa created many popular songs. Some of his big hits include Doña Soledad (Miss Solitude), Crece desde el Pie (It grows from the foot), Recordándote (Remembering you), Stéfanie, Adagio a mi país (Adagio to my country), Zamba por vos (Zamba for you), Becho's violin, and the poem Guitarra negra (Black Guitar).

He was also a talented poet. In 1959, he won the Municipal Poetry Award for his book Explicaciones (Explanations). However, he never wanted to publish it. In 1988, a book of his stories called Por si el recuerdo (In case I remember) was published. It contained stories he had written at different times in his life.

His Life in His Creations

Like many artists, Alfredo Zitarrosa's music was inspired by his own life. Many of his songs are very personal and tell stories about his experiences.

For example, in Pájaro rival (Rival Bird), he wrote about deep thoughts about life and even seemed to sense his own death coming. This song was part of an album released after he passed away in 1989:

The "wound" he sings about relates to his personal history. This is also seen in Explicación de mi amor (Explanation of my love). This song talks about his three parents, especially his biological father, whose shadow seemed to follow him throughout his life:

He also wrote about his adoptive father, Carlos Durán, whom he stayed with until the end of his life. Alfredo remembered how he felt like a brother to Carlos, not just a stepfather.

Alfredo honored Carlos Durán in one of his most famous songs, Chamarrita de los milicos (Chamarrita song about soldiers). Carlos had worked as a police officer (called 'milico' in common language) out of necessity. Alfredo explained that he wrote this song for his adoptive father on the day his first daughter, Carla Moriana, was born. He remembered his father's large, unloaded revolver, which was a symbol of their humble home and his father's job.

Countryside and City Life

Many of his songs also showed his deep knowledge of the countryside and rural areas. He learned about farm life during his childhood visits to his adoptive mother's family, especially his uncle José Pepe Carbajal. He spent his summers there until he was 12, learning to ride horses, milk cows, and hunt. This experience gave him a special love for country music and shaped his personality.

His song Mi tierra en invierno (My land in winter) shows his understanding of different parts of rural life. He sings about caring for horses, which are essential for daily tasks:

He also describes farm chores like working with livestock:

And the times of harvest:

In his younger years, while working in radio in Montevideo, he became interested in the bohemian lifestyle, the night, and its mysteries. He tried out different art forms. A big part of this time was spent in the Barrio Sur (South District), where he lived near a square and a cemetery. This area, known for candombe music and carnival, left a strong mark on young Alfredo. He wanted to appear serious and older than he was, even wearing glasses he didn't need. As a singer, he always dressed formally in a suit and tie for his performances.

He included details from this period of his life in several songs. In Coplas del canto (Poems of the song), he says:

One of his most famous songs, Candombe del olvido (Candombe of oblivion), written much later, is almost entirely about remembering that time:

Other texts

Here is a part from El Violín de Becho (Becho's fiddle):

See Also

In Spanish: Alfredo Zitarrosa para niños

• Atahualpa Yupanqui (Argentinian, with a comparable style)
• Mercedes Sosa
• Los Olimareños
• Music of Uruguay