Peret

The son of traveling textile merchants born in the gypsy settlement Los Corrales, Peret became fond of the guitar and singing since he was a child, and would develop his musical facet at the same time as he got ahead as a salesman, following the family tradition. His performances in Barcelona venues would become popular, and he recorded several albums. He is considered one of the creators of the Catalan rumba, around Calle de la Cera, while the Pescaílla, Antonio García, reigned in the Gracia neighborhood.

In Madrid, in the early 1960s, he was signed by El Duende, a flamenco tablao owned by Pastora Imperio and Gitanillo de Triana. His recording of “Una lágrima” in 1967, which covered Monreal, would be a milestone. He would go on adding popular musical themes such as “Borriquito”, from 1971, becoming an inescapable musical reference on the Spanish scene. This would also lead to his forays into the cinema. First, interpreting a musical theme, as was the case with Los Tarantos , a successful gypsy version of “Romeo y Julieta”. Less interesting are the comedies in which he starred –Peret was not a great actor, despite his spontaneity with a rather cocky air so characteristic–, although titles such as El inn gypsy or If So-and-so were MenganoThey were tremendously popular. Much later, in 1996, she worked for Chus Gutiérrez in Alma Gitana .

Peret was very religious, although he went through various phases in his spiritual life; in 1982 he committed himself to the Evangelical Church, to later preach the Gospel in his own way, although always with conviction. Married to Santa in 1957, he separated from her in 2008.