Rocío Dúrcal

Biography

María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz (4 October 1944 – 25 March 2006), known professionally as Rocío Dúrcal (Spanish pronunciation: [roˈθi.o ˈðuɾkal]), was a Spanish singer and actress. Her career, which spanned more than four decades, began in the 1960s, when she established herself as an actress and singer thanks to the musical films she starred in. Later, she focused exclusively on her musical career, performing canción melódica, boleros, and rancheras, which led her to being considered one of the best Spanish-language singers of all time.
In Mexico she earned the sobriquet of Reina de las rancheras ("Queen of rancheras"). In 1999, she was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame for her versatility and anthemic songs.[1] In 2005, she received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Also in 2005, she received the Life Achievement Award at the Premios de la Música in Spain. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her at number 139 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Career

María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz began her artistic career by participating in various radio song festivals and competitions, secretly supported by her paternal grandfather, who always believed in her talent and became her first fan. In 1959, with the approval of her parents, she participated in the television program Primer Aplauso, broadcast by Televisión Española (TVE). The theme that she chose for the contest was the traditional song "La sombra vendo". Luis Sanz, a manager who watched the show, was impressed by her talent and personality. He contacted TVE for the name and the address of the young contestant. Her stage name Rocío came from what she said was a nickname her grandfather gave her because she reminded him of morning dew (rocío matutino). For her stage surname, she and Sanz looked at a map of Spain on which she randomly pointed out the town of Dúrcal, in the province of Granada.

Acting

Her first film was Canción de juventud (1962) directed by Luis Lucia. The plot of the film portrayed a teenager with her own personality. The film scored huge box office and critics success not only in Spain, but also in other Spanish-speaking countries. The following year, she starred Rocío from La Mancha. After this, she got her first record deal with transnational Phonogram Inc.. The songs the artist played in both films served to make her first album with them, Las películas de Rocío Dúrcal (1963). Also in 1963, she starred in La chica del trébol.

In her following film, Tengo 17 años (1964), she put aside her role of "child star". That same year, she appeared in her first theater play, Un domingo en Nueva York, in which she was revealed as a great theatrical actress. In 1965 she filmed Más bonita que ninguna; the band Los Brincos wrote some songs for the movie. In 1966, she shared the spotlight with Enrique Guzmán in the film Acompáñame. She began to perform duets with such singers as Jaime Morey and Amalia de Isaura. Then she co-starred in the film Love in Flight (1967) with the then young Argentine singer-songwriter Palito Ortega. In 1968 she filmed Cristina Guzmán, the first of her films that was aimed at an audience over 18.
Her last film was with Bárbara Rey in Me siento extraña in 1977.

Singing

In 1970, Dúrcal married Filipino-born musician Antonio Morales (known professionally as Júnior), who would manage her singing career. In 1970, he began a series of television shows in Spain and Latin America singing with his wife as a duet. Their first child, Carmen Morales, was born in December 1970. After the birth of their second child, Antonio, in April 1974, Júnior decided to give up his career to devote time to their children. Dúrcal meanwhile continued her film and singing career. In 1979 she had her third child, Shaila, who took up a singing career under the stage name of Shaila Dúrcal and is also a successful singer.
In 1977, Dúrcal signed a contract with Ariola Eurodisc (with singer-songwriter Camilo Sesto supporting her in her projects) dedicating herself to the musical career. That year, while in Mexico, she met the Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel, who decided to record a whole album of rancheras performed by Rocío Dúrcal entitled Rocío Dúrcal canta a Juan Gabriel. Without further advertising, the LP received high levels of sales, so Dúrcal and Juan Gabriel considered the possibility of a new recording together. They ended up doing 5 LPs, marking the revival of Rocío Dúrcal as a singer. The final collaboration between Dúrcal and Juan Gabriel emerged in 10 albums. Dúrcal's album named Canta A Juan Gabriel Volumen 6×Canta a Juan Gabriel volumen 61984 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Estás tan dentro de mí3:062De serenata3:053El canalla2:544Déjame vivir3:465Amor eterno6:526Te dedico esta canción3:247Perdóname, olvídalo3:418Te quiero mucho mucho3:399Diferentes3:2710Costumbres4:33 (1984) is among the top ten best-selling albums in the history of Mexico. For this album Rocío Dúrcal received her first Grammy Award nomination.

The collaboration of Dúrcal with Juan Gabriel was interrupted by disagreements between the artists and because of problems of Juan Gabriel with his record label, so Dúrcal continued to record albums with other songwriters such as Marco Antonio Solís and Rafael Pérez Botija (who produced for her, and wrote most of the songs for, the ballads album, Confidencias×Confidencias1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1No sirvo para estar sin ti3:472La verdad de la verdad4:283Dicen4:154Marinero3:325Lo que tú sientes3:326La gata bajo la lluvia3:387Adiós3:248¿Por qué me tratas así?3:349Tu pasado3:2810Ríndete4:25). In 1988 she recorded the album Como Tu Mujer×Como tu mujer1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Como tu mujer4:262Por qué tanta soledad3:463Qué pensará esa criatura3:194Cómo me duele irte perdiendo3:535Ya te olvidé3:046Qué esperabas de mí3:507Extrañándote4:158Yo creía que sí3:489El amor más bonito5:0710Mejor contigo3:26 with producer Marco Antonio Solis.
In 1990, she recorded her first album on CD format entitled Si te pudiera mentir×Si te pudiera mentir13 July 1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Te amo5:102Por tu maldad4:203Falso3:464La balanza4:215Se me fue olvidando3:196Comprenderás a una mujer3:477Si te pudiera mentir4:488A que me quedo contigo4:099Llorando sabrás4:4210Me duele que así te vayas4:00. In 1991, Durcal offered a concert at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, recorded in a double disc El Concierto... En Vivo. Between 1992 and 1993 she recorded the album Desaires×Desaires1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Desaires2:402Órale2:243Mi Credo3:104Sin Una Lágrima2:525Palomo Gris3:346La Huerta3:007Domingo de Feria2:558Más Te Vale2:149En Un Hilo3:1010Que Ya No Estás3:31, produced by the Mexican singer and songwriter Joan Sebastián. In this album she reprises ranchera.
In 1995, she launched her production Hay Amores Y Amores, with songs written and produced by the Argentine Roberto Livi. For this album she was nominated again to the Grammy Awards in the category "Best Latin Pop Album". In 1997 the double album Juntos Otra Vez brought Rocío Dúrcal and Juan Gabriel together again for the last time. That album was made by an engagement with the record company and not by the desire of both artists to continue to cooperate.
In 1998, under the direction of Luis Sanz, she starred in the TVE commedy series Los negocios de mamá. In 2000, she celebrated forty years in the industry. In that year she returned to ranchera music with the album Caricias×Caricias4 April 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Caricias3:392Quiéreme un poquito3:203Infiel3:314Porque te quiero4:045Necesito3:446Amor bonito3:197Quién sabe4:518Ni siquiera una mirada3:149Esperaba demasiado3:4010Qué más quieres de mí3:29, under the production of songwriter and producer Bebu Silvetti. In 2001 Rocío Dúrcal recorded Entre Tangos y Mariachi, again produced by Bebu Silvetti, an album that includes 10 of the most famous Argentine tango arrangements interpreted with ranchero/bolero style like her previous album. In the summer of 2001 Dúrcal made a successful tour in Spain, 13 years after her last Spanish performance.
After a year and a half absence, she returned to the stage on 19 September 2002 with a concert at the National Auditorium in Mexico, which was recorded in a double album that was released on CD and then on DVD on 22 October 2002, En Concierto... Inolvidable. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.
In 2003, the artist received another Latin Grammy Award nomination for her album Caramelito×Caramelito6 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Es mi castigo4:382Después de tu amor3:563Él4:004Estrellita de la mañana3:325Como puedo3:426Por amarte tanto3:407Caramelito3:218Un pedazo de luna3:429Yo por ti3:5510Hasta que vuelvas3:53, produced by Kike Santander. In May 2004 she returned to Spain to record what would be her last album, Alma Ranchera×Alma ranchera2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Un mundo raro3:402Si Dios me quita la vida3:143Cucurrucucu paloma4:314Fallaste corazón3:345Sufro tu ausencia3:076Fiesta en el corazón2:177Amanecí en tus brazos3:438Échame a mí la culpa2:539La media vuelta2:4310Esta tristeza mía2:5311Te parto el alma3:1812Vete a volar3:23, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.

Illness and death

In 2001, after recording her album Entre Tangos y Mariachi×Entre tangos y mariachi15 May 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sombras... ¡nada más!3:432El ultimo café4:063Soñemos3:364Nostalgias4:395Nada3:446Madreselva (homenaje a Libertad Lamarque)3:307Caminito3:458Vida mía4:339A media luz2:5510En esta tarde gris4:57, Dúrcal was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Dúrcal canceled her tours while undergoing medical treatment, and resumed touring in 2002. In 2003, from Spain, she collaborated with the Mexican singer Julio Preciado for a duet in the song "Si nos dejan" included in his album Que me siga la tambora.
Rocío Dúrcal died on 25 March 2006 at the age of 61 from uterine cancer at her home in Torrelodones, Madrid. She was cremated and a portion of her ashes were scattered in Spain while the remainder of her ashes were deposited into a crypt at Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, the same place where years later a portion of the ashes from her husband Antonio Morales who died in 2014, were also deposited next to her.