El Lebrijano

{{Short description|Spanish Romani flamenco musician (1941–2016)}} [[File:Lebrijano-extintor.jpg|thumb|Juan Peña in February 2010]] '''Juan Peña Fernández''' (8 August 1941 – 13 July 2016),<ref>[https://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2016/07/13/5785f818468aebed278b45a2.html El Mundo]</ref> also known as '''Juan Peña "El Lebrijano'''" or simply '''El Lebrijano''', was a Spanish [[Gitanos|Gitano]] (''Roma'') flamenco musician. As a flamenco-fusion musician he studied the musical relation and fusion of two cultures that coexisted in Spain during the [[Al-Andalus]] period.

== Biography== Born in [[Lebrija]], [[province of Seville]], in the context of a family where several members sing [[flamenco]]: Fernanda y Bernarda de Utrera, and his mother La Perrata.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bulnes |first=Amalia |date=13 July 2016 |title=Juan Peña 'El Lebrijano': Muere el hijo de La Perrata |url=https://www.eldiario.es/andalucia/lacajanegra/cajon_flamenco/lebrijano-hijo-perrata_1_3906027.html |access-date=1 October 2020 |newspaper=[[ElDiario.es]] |language=es}}</ref>

He began to play [[flamenco guitar]] as a child, accompanying singers such as [[:es:La Paquera de Jerez|La Paquera de Jerez]] in 1950, but eventually turned to [[Flamenco]] singing. In 1964, he won the championship at the Competition of Mairena del Alcor, one of the most important Flamenco music festivals. Within years, he was regarded as one of the greatest voices of flamenco. A few years later, in 1970, he started his collaboration with the guitarist [[Paco de Lucía]].

His later musical works included [[Andalusian classical music|Andalusi]] influences, with albums such as ''Casablanca'', ''Open Doors'' and ''Encuentros''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esflamenco.com/bio/es10220.html |title=El Lebrijano |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212042910/http://esflamenco.com/bio/es10220.html |archive-date=12 February 2010 |work=esflamenco.com |language=es |access-date=2 August 2024}}</ref> There was also a tribute to his friend [[Gabriel García Márquez]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.terra.com/ocio/articulo/html/oci327628.htm |title=El cantaor "El Lebrijano" homenajea a García Márquez |work=terra.es |language=es |date=4 June 2008 |access-date=2 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201070556/http://www.terra.com/musica/noticias/el_cantaor_quotel_lebrijanoquot_homenajea_a_garcia_marquez/oci327628 |archive-date=1 February 2012}}</ref>

In 1997 the Spanish Ministry of Culture awarded him the [[:es:Medalla de Oro al Trabajo|Medalla de Oro al Trabajo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deflamenco.com/artistas/ver.jsp?codigo=50 |title=El Lebrijano |work=deflamenco.com |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818141637/http://www.deflamenco.com/artistas/ver.jsp?codigo=50 |archive-date=18 August 2010 |access-date=2 August 2024}}</ref>

Peña died at his home in Seville, Spain on 13 July 2016, aged 75.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/el-lebrijano-dead-flamenco-7438217/ |title=El Lebrijano, Innovative Flamenco Singer, Dies at 75 |magazine=[[Billboard.com]]| access-date=July 13, 2016 |date=July 13, 2016 |first=Judy |last=Cantor-Navas}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebrijano}} [[Category:1941 births]] [[Category:2016 deaths]] [[Category:People from Lebrija]] [[Category:Flamenco singers]] [[Category:Singers from Andalusia]] [[Category:Spanish male singers]]