José Mercé

Born José Soto Soto, flamenco cantador José Mercé launched his singing career at age six as soloist at Jerez’s La Basílica de la Merced church, sharpening his innate gifts through regular appearances with Antonio Gades’ theater company. Early in the 1970s he relocated to Madrid, entering a rising circle of flamenco artists that included Camarón—born José Monge Cruz and widely recognized as El Camarón de la Isla—alongside Tomatito, born Manuel Moreno Junquera, and talented guitarist Paco de Lucía. He remained with Gades until the mid-’80s, covering vast distances on international tours, before issuing a series of recordings that presented a fresh, commercially viable approach to flamenco tradition.