Peret

Pere Pubill Calaf, known professionally as Peret, was born on 26 March 1935 in Mataró, Catalonia. As a singer and guitarist with Roma heritage, he is recognised for his contributions to Catalan rumba and pop music. His early life involved travelling with his father, who sold textiles, exposing him to various regions of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. His musical journey began at age twelve when he formed the duo Los Hermanos Montenegro with a cousin, making their debut at Barcelona's Tívoli Theatre. His career took off in the mid-1960s when he moved to Madrid. His unique guitar style, known as 'ventilador,' which involved using the guitar's resonance box as a percussion instrument, became his signature sound. Notable songs from this period include "El muerto vivo" and "El gitano Antón." In 1971, he achieved significant success with "Borriquito", a song that coincided with Spain's tourism upswing. He represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, finishing ninth with his entry "Canta y sé feliz". His work also extended to film, with roles in movies like Amor a todo gas and El meson del gitano. In 1982, he retired from music to dedicate himself to the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia for nine years. He returned to the public eye in 1992 when he performed at the closing ceremony of the Barcelona Olympics. His later albums include No se pué aguantar (1991), Gitana Hechicera (1992), and Rey de la Rumba (200). Peret received several honours, including the Cross of Saint George from the Generalitat de Catalunya in 1999 and the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports in 2010. He continued to perform and record until his death on 27 August 2014, due to lung cancer.

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