Lucho Gatica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucho Gatica
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Gatica in 2011
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Luis Enrique Gatica Silva
11 August 1928 |
| Died | 13 November 2018 (aged 90) |
Luis Enrique Gatica Silva (born August 11, 1928 – died November 13, 2018), known to many as Lucho Gatica, was a famous singer from Chile. People called him "the King of Bolero" because he was incredibly good at singing bolero music. He was one of the most important and popular bolero singers ever, known all around the world. Lucho Gatica made over 90 recordings. He traveled to many places like Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to perform. He was also the uncle of a well-known record producer, Humberto Gatica.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Lucho Gatica was born in Rancagua, Chile. He went to school at the Instituto O'Higgins. Lucho and his brother, Arturo Gatica, were singers who worked hard to become famous. They released their first music album in 1949. At that time, Lucho was 21 years old.
During the 1950s, music tastes in Chile began to change. The bolero style of music became more popular than tango. Singers like Olga Guillot from Cuba, Leo Marini from Argentina, and Elvira Ríos from Mexico became very well-known. Xavier Cugat and his orchestra were also popular. These artists greatly influenced Lucho Gatica's own singing style.
Rise to Stardom and Hit Songs
Lucho Gatica's first record was "Me importas tú" (You Matter to Me). It came out in 1951 and quickly became a hit across Latin America. The next year, he released another popular song called "Contigo en la distancia" (With You in the Distance).
In 1953, Gatica recorded his own version of "Bésame mucho" (Kiss Me a Lot). This famous song was written by Consuelo Velázquez. That same year, he released two more albums. They were named Las Muchachas de la Plaza España and Sinceridad. His song "Sinceridad" became a big hit the following year.
Moving to Mexico and International Success
In 1957, Lucho Gatica moved to Mexico. There, he continued to record many popular songs. Some of his famous recordings from this time include No me platiques más (Don't Talk to me Anymore), Tú me acostumbraste (You Accustomed Me), and Voy a apagar la Luz (I'm Turning the Lights Off). The last one was released in 1959.
Lucho Gatica's music also reached the United States. In 1956, his songs were released on LP records for the first time by Capitol Records. Capitol Records released three of his albums in just 14 months. One of these albums was El Gran Gatica. It featured well-loved songs like "Somos" ("We Are") and "Sabrá Dios" ("God Will Know"). In 1958, he released a "greatest hits" album. He also recorded the famous song "Encadenados" (Chained).
Later Life and Achievements
After moving to Mexico, Lucho Gatica decided to live there permanently. He married Mapita Cortés, an actress from Puerto Rico who also lived in Mexico. They had two sons, Luis Gatica and Alfredo Gatica. Alfredo later became a music business owner.
Lucho Gatica continued to be famous in the 1980s. He appeared in telenovelas (Spanish soap operas) and was known in the rock music scene. He had a total of seven children.
Lucho Gatica received many important awards for his music.
- In 2001, he was added to the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
- Also in 2001, his songs "La Barca" and "El Reloj" were added to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame.
- In 2007, Lucho Gatica received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors artists who have made a big impact on music.
- In 2008, he received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for his recordings.
Lucho Gatica passed away in Mexico on November 13, 2018, due to pneumonia.
See also
In Spanish: Lucho Gatica para niños
