Mercedes Sosa

Artist Image: Mercedes Sosa
Attribution
Image Credit: Annemarie Heinrich (http://www.argentina.gob.ar/multimedia_ampliado.php?id=505), Public domain

Biography

Haydée Mercedes Sosa (9 July 1935 – 4 October 2009), known as La Negra (literally: The Black One), was an Argentine singer who was popular throughout Latin America and many countries outside the continent. With her roots in Argentine folk music, Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of nueva canción. She gave voice to songs written by both Brazilians and Cubans. She was best known as the "voice of the voiceless ones". Sosa performed in venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City, the Théâtre Mogador in Paris and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, as well as sell-out shows in New York's Carnegie Hall and the Roman Coliseum during her final decade of life. Her career spanned four decades and she was the recipient of several Grammy awards and nominations, including a posthumous Latin Grammy award for Best Folk Album. She served as an ambassador for UNICEF.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed
Number of Albums 35
Record Label
Website www.mercedessosa.com.ar
Wikipedia Mercedes Sosa on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What was Mercedes's nationality?

Argentinian

...Mercedes Sosa, the celebrated Argentinian folk singer and political activist, has died aged 74. Sosa possessed a deep, alto voice and a strong sense o...
Mercedes was a popular Argentinian folk singer and political activist who died at what age?

74

... celebrated Argentinian folk singer and political activist, has died aged 74 . Sosa possessed a deep, alto voice and a strong sense of conviction, and ...
Who was one of the few Latin American musicians who could sing over five decades?

command a wide international audience

...w Latin American musicians who could, over five decades, command a wide international audience . Described as the voice of Latin America, she was rever...
What is the capital of one of Argentina's smallest provinces?

San Miguel de Tucumán

... political and social turmoil that afflicted the region. Born in San Miguel de Tucumán , the capital of one of Argentina's smallest provinces, to a wor...
How old was she when she won a singing concert sponsored by a local radio station?

15

... (Quechuan) ancestry, she began singing and folk dancing as a child. Aged 15 , Sosa won a singing concert sponsored by a local radio station. The prize...
What was the name of the musician she married?

Manuel Oscar Matus

...cal reputation as a rising talent. After she married the musician Manuel Oscar Matus , the couple began looking to new developments in Latin American m...
In what country was sosa popular by the mid-1960s?

Argentina

...nvey a wide emotional range meant that listeners connected strongly with both songs and singer, and by the mid1960s she was very popular in Argentina ....
What did Mercedes' music touch deeply?

Peggy Lee Sprague

...e transformed through her odd yet charming path to becoming whole. Peggy Lee Sprague Well researched with a lot of history and background, most of it ...
What proves that true stories can be much more powerful than fiction?

Suzy Kelly

...between the author and Mercedes and how her music touched her deeply. Suzy Kelly This book proves that true stories can be much more powerful than fic...
What is an uplifting tale of overcoming all odds?

P.M.M

... fiction. Both historical and inspirational this book is a must to read. P.M.M An uplifting tale of overcoming all odds. Roza Gaston The first section...
What was Mercedes Sosa's birth date?

9 July 1935

...Mercedes Sosa (born 9 July 1935 , died 4 October 2009 in Buenos Aires) was an Argentine singer inmensely popular throughout Latin America. With her roo...
When did Mercedes sosa die?

Buenos Aires

...Mercedes Sosa (born 9 July 1935, died 4 October 2009 in Buenos Aires ) was an Argentine singer inmensely popular throughout Latin America. With her roo...
What is Mercedes Sosa's nickname?

La Negra

...depth and beauty of her contralto voice. She is respectfully nicknamed La Negra by her fans for her dark skin and dark hair a very common term of affe...
Where was Sosa born?

Tucumán

...peared or murdered anyone suspected of being critical. Sosa was born in Tucumán , a northwestern province of Argentina, of mestizo descent from French ...
How old was Sosa when she won a singing competition?

fifteen

...descent from French and Amerindian (Quechuan) ancestry. In 1950, at age fifteen , she won a singing competition organized by a local radio station and ...
How long did she have to perform for?

two months

...ized by a local radio station and was given a contract to perform for two months . Sosa and her first husband Manuel Oscar Matus were key players in th...
How long did Ms. Sosa's career span?

60 years

...practically everything that she wanted to do. In a career that spanned 60 years , Ms. Sosa became revered as both a victim of and a commentator on the ...
How did she cope with her illness?

She did practically everything that she wanted to do

...kidney disease and with liver and lung problems. She did practically everything that she wanted to do . In a career that spanned 60 years, Ms. Sosa bec...
What was the name of the song she sang at 15?

Im Sad

...ns. Ms. Sosas career began at the age of 15 when, singing a song called Im Sad under a pseudonym, she won an amateur hour competition on a local radio...
When did Ms. Sosa record her first fulllength album?

1962

...n an amateur hour competition on a local radio station. It was not until 1962 , however that she recorded her first fulllength album. But after the mil...
What year did the military seized power in Argentina?

1976

...st fulllength album. But after the military seized power in Argentina in 1976 and installed a murderous dictatorship, Ms. Sosa, who was publicly ident...
Nueva cancion merged folk rhythms with what?

lyrics

...evitalized Latin American music. Nueva cancion merged folk rhythms with lyrics that were an artistic response to growing government brutality. Sosa, w...
The only power they have is to draw people into what?

the theater

...The intelligence of the artist needs to be broader in the face of such possible barriers. The only power they have is to draw people into the theater ....
What industry did her father work in?

sugar

...ee this biography in Spanish translation. Her father was a worker in the sugar industry; her mother worked as a laundress for wealthy families. The be...
What profession did her mother work for?

laundress

... Her father was a worker in the sugar industry; her mother worked as a laundress for wealthy families. The beginning as a singer, she also tells it be...
What day did my dad and mom celebrate?

Peronist Loyalty Day

...vantage of a free train to Buenos Aires to celebrate October 17, Peronist Loyalty Day . And she kept counting: That same day the homework teacher was a...
What day was Peronist Loyalty Day?

October 17

...eronists, took advantage of a free train to Buenos Aires to celebrate October 17 , Peronist Loyalty Day. And she kept counting: That same day the homew...
Who was absent that day?

homework teacher

...17, Peronist Loyalty Day. And she kept counting: That same day the homework teacher was also absent; and with my colleagues we went to a contest that ...
Who pushed me to sing?

My companions

...; and with my colleagues we went to a contest that was on the Radio. My companions pushed me to sing. Fearing that my dad would find out, I said my na...
Who did I say my name was?

Gladys Osorio

...d me to sing. Fearing that my dad would find out, I said my name was Gladys Osorio . In the following days I kept singing on the Radio. Is that what a ...
What does a young lady raised to be decent do?

Look me in the eyes

...my name was Gladys Osorio. In the following days I kept singing on the Radio. Is that what a young lady raised to be decent does? Look me in the eyes ....
How long did Mercedes have a career?

fivedecade

...erica in the 1960s and '70s, died Sunday in Buenos Aires. Through her fivedecade career, she teamed up with a wide range of musicians, from Joan Baez ...
Who did Mercedes team up with?

Joan Baez to Sting to Shakira

...e career, she teamed up with a wide range of musicians, from Joan Baez to Sting to Shakira . Enlarge this image Sosa was born in northwest Argentina to...
What movement revitalized Latin American folk traditions with new lyrics?

Nueva Cancion

...try's capital of Buenos Aires, Sosa became part of a movement called Nueva Cancion , or New Song. It revitalized Latin American folk traditions with ne...
Who met Sosa when he was a young Argentine?

Santaolalla

... nonviolence and a veneration of the land and the people who work it. Santaolalla met Sosa when he was a young Argentine rock musician. He's gone on t...
Who did Santaolalla meet when he was a young Argentine rock musician?

Sosa

...and a veneration of the land and the people who work it. Santaolalla met Sosa when he was a young Argentine rock musician. He's gone on to become a mu...
What award did Sosa win for his soundtrack to the film Brokeback Mountain?

Oscar

...gone on to become a multiple Grammy winner and producer who also won and Oscar for his soundtrack to the film Brokeback Mountain. He says Sosa's talen...
What made Sosa so revered?

talents as a singer

...for his soundtrack to the film Brokeback Mountain. He says Sosa's talents as a singer are what made her so revered. She's an incredible artist with an...
What country did Sosa's roots originate from?

Argentine

...With her roots in Argentine folk music, Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of El nuevo cancionero. She gave voice to songs written by many La...
What genre of music did she become a prominent exponent of?

El nuevo cancionero

...entine folk music, Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of El nuevo cancionero . She gave voice to songs written by many Latin American songwrit...
In what city was the Lincoln Center?

New York City

...iceless ones. Sosa performed in venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City , the Théâtre Mogador in Paris and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican Cit...
Where was the Théâtre Mogador located?

Paris

...nues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City, the Théâtre Mogador in Paris and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, as well as sellout shows in New...
In what year did Sosa win the Premio Gardel?

2000

... Colosseum during her final decade of life. She won the Premio Gardel in 2000 , the main musical award in Argentina. She served as an ambassador for UN...
What is the main musical award in Argentina?

Premio Gardel

...and the Roman Colosseum during her final decade of life. She won the Premio Gardel in 2000, the main musical award in Argentina. She served as an amba...
What was the name of the first album she recorded in 1959?

La Voz de la Zafra

...tion organized by a local radio station and was given a contract to perform for two months. She recorded her first album, La Voz de la Zafra , in 1959....