Cecilia

Born Evangelina Sobredo Galanes on October 11, 1948, in Madrid, the Spanish folk artist known as Cecilia grew up as the daughter of diplomats, which meant much of her childhood unfolded across repeated international journeys. Those travels led her to master English, prompting her to compose most of her earliest material in that language. In 1970 she assembled the ensemble Expresion and cut her debut singles with the group, “Have You Ever Seen a Blue Man?” and “Try and Catch the Sun.” She continued issuing recordings for CBS—now Sony BMG—throughout 1970 and 1971, then delivered her first solo album, Cecilia, in 1972; that record yielded several early successes, among them “Dama Dama,” “Fui,” “Señor y Dueno,” and “Nada de Nada.” Across the mid- and late 1970s she produced additional well-received compositions such as “Querida España” and “Amor de Medianoche,” while her profile rose through festival performances and regular appearances on Televisión Española. While preparing a 1976 album honoring poet Valle Inclan, she died in a car accident on the way back from a concert in Vigo. The following summer the tracks “El Viaje” and “Lluvia” appeared as tributes and found an enthusiastic audience. Numerous compilations of her recordings have since surfaced and remain widely appreciated.