Melchor de Marchena (19071980; born Melchor Jimenez Torres) was a Spanish

flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

. Born in Marchena, Spain, he is considered to be one of the most representative artists with a "gypsy touch", along with Diego del Gastor. His love of flamenco comes from a family environment. His father, "El Lico" was a guitarist in his own right, while his mother "La Josefita", was a singer, as was one of his aunts, artistically known as "La Gilica de Marchena", who sang

Soleá ''Soleares'' (plural of ''soleá'', ) is one of the most basic forms or '' palos'' of Flamenco music, probably originating among the Calé Romani people of Cádiz or Seville in Andalusia, the most southern region of Spain. It is usually acc ...

. Two of his brothers, Chicho Melchor and Miguel el Bizco, were also guitarists, like his son Enrique de Melchor (1950–2012), who continued the family tradition. Playing the guitar, Melchor accompanied several singers of his time, such as

Manolo Caracol Manuel Ortega Juárez (9 July 1909 – 24 February 1973) was a Spanish flamenco cantaor (singer). Life and family Born in Seville, Spain, he was descended from a long line of flamenco artists including Enrique Ortega (father and son) and Curr ...

, La Niña de los Peines, and Antonio Mairena. In 1966, he was awarded the National Prize Flamenco Guitar, the highest award of its kind. In 1974 he performed with Paco de Lucia at the flamenco festival of La Union on the coast of eastern Spain. He died in

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

in 1980.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marchena, Melchor 1907 births 1980 deaths Spanish flamenco guitarists Spanish male guitarists People from Campiña de Morón y Marchena Musicians from Andalusia 20th-century Spanish musicians 20th-century Spanish guitarists 20th-century Spanish male musicians