Lorenzo Herrera

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lorenzo Herrera
Born August 2, 1896
Caracas, Venezuela
Died 1960

Contents

[edit] Early career

Lorenzo Esteban Herrera (August 2, 1896 - 1960) is remembered as one of the greatest singers and composers of the first half of the 20th century in Venezuela.

Lorenzo Herrera was born in Santa Rosalía, Caracas. In 1923 he went with his family to New York City in search of new opportunities for his musical talent. In the first few years, he had to work as a shoemaker, but he managed to obtain a contract with the most famous record companies of the time, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, among others. In this city he composed most of his famous songs, including the famous pasodoble, La Sultana del Ávila.

[edit] Career

In 1935 he returned to Caracas to continue with his musical career, pioneering the bolero, arranging folk music and paso dobles. He popularized the bolero by exposure on radio.

Lorenzo Herrera was also the pioneer of the international promotion of Venezuelan music, managing to sign contracts with international record companies, giving concerts in Canada, United States, Colombia, and Argentina among other countries.

He was known as a snappy dresser, having a huge collection of shirts, and appearing on stage in traditional Venezuelan costume.

[edit] Compae Pancho

One of his most famous compositions is the Venezuelan merengue Compae Pancho (often incorrectly written as Compadre Pancho or Compay Pancho).

[edit] Legacy

Lorenzo Herrera composed more than 500 songs, and most of them were successful. His voice and his authentic Venezuelan style made the name of Lorenzo Herrera synonymous with the grace and humor of Venezuela. As with the romanticism of his waltzes which conserved the sentimental shades of principles of the 20th century, with the Venezuelan merengue he conveyed the grace of Caracas; with the joropo he presented the Venezuelan plains in the cords of the harp and the cuatro. Lorenzo Herrera died at the age of 64.

[edit] Famous songs of Lorenzo Herrera

Between the famous songs of Lorenzo Herrera, we can mention, Luisa, Josefina, Rosalinda, Juan José, El Bachaco, El Coletón,Mi Rancho, La Caldereta, Compae Pancho,La mula Rucia, Canta Ruiseñor, El primer amor, Chupa tu Mamey, Ya no sufras corazón, Vente pa´ ca mi negra, Caminito del llano adentro, among other compositions.

[edit] See also

[edit] Source

  • Based on the exhaustive investigation of Guillermo Ramos Flamerich about the life of Lorenzo Herrera
In other languages