Luis Abanto Morales (25 August 1923 – 14 June 2017) was a

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

singer and composer.

Early life and education

Morales was born in

Trujillo, Peru Trujillo (; ; Mochica language, Mochica: ''Cɥimor'') is a city in coastal northwestern Peru and the capital of the Department of La Libertad. It is the third most populous city and center of the List of metropolitan areas of Peru, third most po ...

on August 25, 1923. His childhood was spent in Cajabamba where, after his father died, he was cared for by his paternal grandmother. His studied at the 113 school. When Morales was 13 years old his mother, doña Rosa, brought him to

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

, and they moved to the Tingüa passage in the District of Lince. Later he took electricity training in the

Salesians The Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), formally known as the Society of Saint Francis de Sales (), is a religious congregation of men in the Catholic Church, founded in 1859 by the Italian priest John Bosco to help poor and migrant youth during the ...

Catholic School.

Career

His career began in 1942 when he won the "Districts Song" contest sponsored by Radio Callao. Later, Morales became a singer and composer of traditional

Peruvian music Peruvian music is an amalgamation of sounds and styles drawing on Peru's Andean, Spanish, and African roots. Andean influences can perhaps be best heard in wind instruments and the shape of the melodies, while the African influences can be heard ...

. Some of his songs carry a strong message about social conflicts and national identity, and others about love and life. Perhaps his most famous songs are "Cholo soy", "Heaven Serrano", "La Pitita", "Love me", among others. He regularly travels to Brazil, the United States and some European countries, where the Peruvian expatriates keep requesting his presence. Morales was one of the first converts to

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

in Peru.

Death

He died in 2017, at the age of 93, in Edgardo Rebagliati Hospital, where he had been hospitalized for several months due to a bladder tumor. He was buried on Parque del Recuerdo cemetery in Lurín In 2021, children of Abanto demanded that the song ''Cholo soy y no me compassionas'' be stopped being used without authorization after

Free Peru Free Peru (), officially the Free Peru National Political Party (), is a Marxist political party in Peru. Founded in 2008 as the Free Peru Political Regional Movement, the party was officially constituted as a national organization in February 2 ...

used it in one of their promos.

Discography

* ''Cholo'' * ''Nunca podrán'' * ''Payaso'' * ''Trujillano''

References

External links

*
"Cholo Soy"
with images from a documentary about

Atahualpa Atahualpa (), also Atawallpa or Ataw Wallpa ( Quechua) ( 150226 July 1533), was the last effective Inca emperor, reigning from April 1532 until his capture and execution in July of the following year, as part of the Spanish conquest of the In ...

(subtitles),

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, 2008 1923 births 2017 deaths People from Trujillo, Peru Peruvian singer-songwriters Peruvian male singer-songwriters 20th-century Peruvian male singers 20th-century Peruvian singers Peruvian Latter Day Saints Converts to Mormonism {{Peru-singer-stub