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# Source: Wikipedia Revision (Mercedes Sosa @ 2022-12-31)

# Wikipedia Content for 'Mercedes Sosa'
*Revision from 2022-12-09T22:29:41Z (ID: 1126540422)*
*Regarding search date: 2022-12-31*

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# Mercedes Sosa - Wikipedia

Argentine singer (1935–2009)

**Haydée Mercedes Sosa** ([Template:IPA-es](/w/index.php?title=Template:IPA-es&action=edit&redlink=1 "Template:IPA-es (page does not exist)"); 9 July 1935[[1]](#cite_note-birth-1) – 4 October 2009), sometimes known as ***La Negra*** (lit. 'The Black One', an affectionate nickname for people with a darker complexion in Argentina), was an Argentine singer who was popular throughout Latin America and many countries outside the region. With her roots in Argentine [folk music](/wiki/Folk_music "Folk music"), Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of *El nuevo cancionero*. She gave voice to songs written by many Latin American songwriters. Her music made people hail her as the "voice of the voiceless ones".[[2]](#cite_note-tmc-2)

Sosa performed in venues such as the [Lincoln Center](/wiki/Lincoln_Center "Lincoln Center") in New York City, the [Théâtre Mogador](/wiki/Th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre_Mogador "Théâtre Mogador") in Paris and the [Sistine Chapel](/wiki/Sistine_Chapel "Sistine Chapel") in Vatican City, as well as sell-out shows in New York's [Carnegie Hall](/wiki/Carnegie_Hall "Carnegie Hall") and the Roman [Colosseum](/wiki/Colosseum "Colosseum") during her final decade of life. Her career spanned four decades and she was the recipient of six [Latin Grammy](/wiki/Latin_Grammy "Latin Grammy") awards (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011), including a [Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award](/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Lifetime_Achievement_Award "Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award") in 2004 and two posthumous [Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk Album](/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Award_for_Best_Folk_Album "Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk Album") in 2009 and 2011. She won the [Premio Gardel](/wiki/Premios_Gardel "Premios Gardel") in 2000, the main musical award in Argentina. She served as an ambassador for [UNICEF](/wiki/UNICEF "UNICEF").

## Life

Sosa was born on 9 July 1935, in [San Miguel de Tucumán](/wiki/San_Miguel_de_Tucum%C3%A1n "San Miguel de Tucumán"), in the northwestern Argentine province of [Tucumán](/wiki/Tucum%C3%A1n_Province "Tucumán Province"), of [mestizo](/wiki/Mestizo "Mestizo") ancestry. She was of French, Spanish and [Diaguita](/wiki/Diaguita "Diaguita") descent.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3) Her parents were [Peronists](/wiki/Peronism "Peronism"), although they never registered in the party, and she started her career as a singer for the Peronist Party in Provincia Tucuman under the name Gladys Osorio.[[4]](#cite_note-4) In 1950, at age fifteen, she won a singing competition organized by a local radio station and was given a contract to perform for two months.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5) She recorded her first album, *La Voz de la Zafra*, in 1959.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5) A performance at the 1965 [Cosquín National Folklore Festival](/wiki/Cosqu%C3%ADn_Festival "Cosquín Festival")—where she was introduced and brought to the stage while sitting in the audience by fellow folk singer [Jorge Cafrune](/wiki/Jorge_Cafrune "Jorge Cafrune")—[[6]](#cite_note-test-6) brought her to the attention of the Argentine public.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5)

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Mercedes_Sosa%2C_F%C3%A9lix_Luna_y_Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez.jpg/250px-Mercedes_Sosa%2C_F%C3%A9lix_Luna_y_Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez.jpg)](/wiki/File:Mercedes_Sosa,_F%C3%A9lix_Luna_y_Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez.jpg)

Sosa with [Félix Luna](/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Luna "Félix Luna") and [Ariel Ramírez](/wiki/Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez "Ariel Ramírez") (at the piano)

Sosa and her first husband, Manuel Oscar Matus, with whom she had one son, were key players in the mid-60s *[nueva canción](/wiki/Nueva_canci%C3%B3n "Nueva canción")* movement (which was called *nuevo cancionero* in Argentina).[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7) Her second record was *Canciones con Fundamento*, a collection of Argentine folk songs.

In 1967, Sosa toured the United States and Europe with great success. In later years, she performed and recorded extensively, broadening her repertoire to include material from throughout Latin America.

In the early 1970s, Sosa released two concept albums in collaboration with composer [Ariel Ramírez](/wiki/Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez "Ariel Ramírez") and lyricist [Félix Luna](/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Luna "Félix Luna"): *Cantata Sudamericana* and *Mujeres Argentinas* (Argentine Women). She also recorded a tribute to Chilean musician [Violeta Parra](/wiki/Violeta_Parra "Violeta Parra") in 1971, including what was to become one of Sosa's signature songs, *[Gracias a la Vida](/wiki/Gracias_a_la_Vida "Gracias a la Vida")*.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3)[[8]](#cite_note-ap-8) She also increased the popularity of songs written by [Milton Nascimento](/wiki/Milton_Nascimento "Milton Nascimento") of Brazil and [Pablo Milanés](/wiki/Pablo_Milan%C3%A9s "Pablo Milanés") and [Silvio Rodríguez](/wiki/Silvio_Rodr%C3%ADguez "Silvio Rodríguez") both from [Cuba](/wiki/Cuba "Cuba").[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3)

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Mercedes_Sosa_2.jpg/250px-Mercedes_Sosa_2.jpg)](/wiki/File:Mercedes_Sosa_2.jpg)

Sosa in 1972

After the [military junta](/wiki/National_Reorganization_Process "National Reorganization Process") of [Jorge Videla](/wiki/Jorge_Videla "Jorge Videla") came to power in 1976, the atmosphere in Argentina grew increasingly oppressive. Sosa faced death threats against both her and her family, but refused for many years to leave the country. At a concert in [La Plata](/wiki/La_Plata "La Plata") in 1979, Sosa was searched and arrested on stage, along with all those attending the concert.[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7) Their release came about through international intervention.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5) Banned in her own country, she moved to Paris and then to [Madrid](/wiki/Madrid "Madrid").[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5)[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7)

Sosa returned to Argentina from her exile in Europe in 1982,[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7) several months before the military regime collapsed as a result of the [Falklands War](/wiki/Falklands_War "Falklands War"), and gave a series of concerts at the *[Teatro Ópera](/wiki/Teatro_Opera "Teatro Opera")* in Buenos Aires, where she invited many of her younger colleagues to share the stage. A double album of recordings from these performances became an instant best seller. In subsequent years, Sosa continued to tour both in Argentina and abroad, performing in such venues as the [Lincoln Center](/wiki/Lincoln_Center "Lincoln Center") in New York City and the *[Théâtre Mogador](/wiki/Th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre_Mogador "Théâtre Mogador")* in Paris. By then, she was already called America's voice. In poor health for much of the 1990s, she performed a comeback show in Argentina in 1998.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5) In 1994, she played the [Sistine Chapel](/wiki/Sistine_Chapel "Sistine Chapel") in Vatican City.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3) In 2002, she sold out both [Carnegie Hall](/wiki/Carnegie_Hall "Carnegie Hall") in New York and the [Colosseum](/wiki/Colosseum "Colosseum") in Rome in the same year.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3)

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Mercedes_Sosa.jpg/250px-Mercedes_Sosa.jpg)](/wiki/File:Mercedes_Sosa.jpg)

Sosa in 1973

A supporter of [Perón](/wiki/Juan_Per%C3%B3n "Juan Perón"), she favored leftist causes throughout her life. She opposed President [Carlos Menem](/wiki/Carlos_Menem "Carlos Menem"), who was in office from 1989 to 1999, and supported the election of [Néstor Kirchner](/wiki/N%C3%A9stor_Kirchner "Néstor Kirchner"), who became president in 2003.[[9]](#cite_note-9)
Sosa was a [UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador](/wiki/UNESCO_Goodwill_Ambassador "UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador") for Latin America and the Caribbean.[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7)[[10]](#cite_note-10)

In a career spanning four decades, she worked with performers across several genres and generations, folk, opera, pop, rock, including [Martha Argerich](/wiki/Martha_Argerich "Martha Argerich"), [Andrea Bocelli](/wiki/Andrea_Bocelli "Andrea Bocelli"), [David Broza](/wiki/David_Broza "David Broza"), [Franco Battiato](/wiki/Franco_Battiato "Franco Battiato"), [Jaime Roos](/wiki/Jaime_Roos "Jaime Roos"), [Joan Baez](/wiki/Joan_Baez "Joan Baez"), [Francis Cabrel](/wiki/Francis_Cabrel "Francis Cabrel"), [Gal Costa](/wiki/Gal_Costa "Gal Costa"), [Luz Casal](/wiki/Luz_Casal "Luz Casal"), [Lila Downs](/wiki/Lila_Downs "Lila Downs"), [Lucio Dalla](/wiki/Lucio_Dalla "Lucio Dalla"), [Maria Farantouri](/wiki/Maria_Farantouri "Maria Farantouri"), [Lucecita Benitez](/wiki/Lucecita_Benitez "Lucecita Benitez"), [Nilda Fernández](/wiki/Nilda_Fern%C3%A1ndez "Nilda Fernández"), [Charly Garcia](/wiki/Charly_Garcia "Charly Garcia"), [León Gieco](/wiki/Le%C3%B3n_Gieco "León Gieco"), [Gian Marco](/wiki/Gian_Marco "Gian Marco"), [Nana Mouskouri](/wiki/Nana_Mouskouri "Nana Mouskouri"), [Pablo Milanés](/wiki/Pablo_Milan%C3%A9s "Pablo Milanés"), [Holly Near](/wiki/Holly_Near "Holly Near"), [Milton Nascimento](/wiki/Milton_Nascimento "Milton Nascimento"), [Pata Negra](/wiki/Pata_Negra "Pata Negra"), [Fito Páez](/wiki/Fito_P%C3%A1ez "Fito Páez"), [Franco De Vita](/wiki/Franco_De_Vita "Franco De Vita"), [Lourdes Pérez](/wiki/Lourdes_P%C3%A9rez "Lourdes Pérez"), [Luciano Pavarotti](/wiki/Luciano_Pavarotti "Luciano Pavarotti"), [Silvio Rodríguez](/wiki/Silvio_Rodr%C3%ADguez "Silvio Rodríguez"), [Ismael Serrano](/wiki/Ismael_Serrano "Ismael Serrano"), [Shakira](/wiki/Shakira "Shakira"), [Sting](/wiki/Sting_(musician) "Sting (musician)"), [Caetano Veloso](/wiki/Caetano_Veloso "Caetano Veloso"),[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3) [Julieta Venegas](/wiki/Julieta_Venegas "Julieta Venegas"), [Gustavo Cerati](/wiki/Gustavo_Cerati "Gustavo Cerati") and [Konstantin Wecker](/wiki/Konstantin_Wecker "Konstantin Wecker")[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7)

Sosa participated in a 1999 production of [Ariel Ramírez](/wiki/Ariel_Ram%C3%ADrez "Ariel Ramírez")'s *Misa Criolla*.[[11]](#cite_note-11) Her song *Balderrama* is featured in the 2008 movie *[Che](/wiki/Che_(2008_film) "Che (2008 film)")*, starring [Benicio del Toro](/wiki/Benicio_del_Toro "Benicio del Toro") as the Argentine [Marxist](/wiki/Marxist "Marxist") revolutionary [Che Guevara](/wiki/Che_Guevara "Che Guevara").[[12]](#cite_note-12)

Sosa was the former co-chair of the [Earth Charter](/wiki/Earth_Charter "Earth Charter") International Commission.

## Awards

She won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk Album in 2000 (*Misa Criolla*),[[13]](#cite_note-13) 2003 (*Acústico*),[[14]](#cite_note-14) 2006 (*Corazón Libre*),[[15]](#cite_note-15) 2009 (*[Cantora 1](/wiki/Cantora,_un_Viaje_%C3%8Dntimo "Cantora, un Viaje Íntimo")*, which also won [Best Recording Package](/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Award_for_Best_Recording_Package "Latin Grammy Award for Best Recording Package") and was nominated for [Album of the Year](/wiki/Latin_Grammy_Award_for_Album_of_the_Year "Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year")),[[16]](#cite_note-16) and 2011 (*Deja La Vida Volar*),[[17]](#cite_note-17) as well as several international awards.

In 1995, [Konex Foundation](/wiki/Konex_Foundation "Konex Foundation") from Argentina granted her the Diamond [Konex Award](/wiki/Konex_Award "Konex Award"), one of the most prestigious awards in Argentina, as the most important personality in the Popular Music of her country in the last decade.[[18]](#cite_note-18)

## Death

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Funeral_de_Mercedes_Sosa.jpg/250px-Funeral_de_Mercedes_Sosa.jpg)](/wiki/File:Funeral_de_Mercedes_Sosa.jpg)

Mercedes Sosa lying in repose, with her family and President [Cristina Fernández de Kirchner](/wiki/Cristina_Fern%C3%A1ndez_de_Kirchner "Cristina Fernández de Kirchner") viewing

Suffering from recurrent endocrine and respiratory problems in later years, the 74-year-old Sosa was hospitalized in Buenos Aires on 18 September 2009.[[19]](#cite_note-19) She died from [multiple organ failure](/wiki/Multiple_organ_failure "Multiple organ failure") on 4 October 2009, at 5:15 am.[[8]](#cite_note-ap-8) She is survived by one son, Fabián Matus, born of her first marriage.[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5)[[20]](#cite_note-Argentine_singer_Mercedes_Sosa,_'voice_of_Latin_America,'_dies_at_74-20) He said: "She lived her 74 years to the fullest. She had done practically everything she wanted, she didn't have any type of barrier or any type of fear that limited her".[[20]](#cite_note-Argentine_singer_Mercedes_Sosa,_'voice_of_Latin_America,'_dies_at_74-20) The hospital expressed its sympathies to her relatives.[[21]](#cite_note-Argentine_folk_legend_Mercedes_Sosa_dead_at_74-21) Her website featured the following: "Her undisputed talent, her honesty and her profound convictions leave a great legacy to future generations".[[22]](#cite_note-Argentine_folk_icon_Sosa_dies_at_74-22)

Her body was placed on display at the [National Congress](/wiki/Argentine_National_Congress "Argentine National Congress") building in Buenos Aires for the public to pay their respects, and President Fernández de Kirchner ordered three days of national mourning.[[20]](#cite_note-Argentine_singer_Mercedes_Sosa,_'voice_of_Latin_America,'_dies_at_74-20)[[23]](#cite_note-23) Thousands had queued by the end of the day.[[22]](#cite_note-Argentine_folk_icon_Sosa_dies_at_74-22) She was cremated on 5 October.[[22]](#cite_note-Argentine_folk_icon_Sosa_dies_at_74-22)[[24]](#cite_note-Argentine_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-24)

Sosa's obituary in *[The Daily Telegraph](/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph "The Daily Telegraph")* said she was "an unrivalled interpreter of works by her compatriot, the Argentine [Atahualpa Yupanqui](/wiki/Atahualpa_Yupanqui "Atahualpa Yupanqui"), and Chile's [Violeta Parra](/wiki/Violeta_Parra "Violeta Parra")".[[5]](#cite_note-Mercedes_Sosa:_Obituary-5) Helen Popper of [Reuters](/wiki/Reuters "Reuters") reported her death by saying she "fought South America's dictators with her voice and became a giant of contemporary Latin American music".[[24]](#cite_note-Argentine_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-24) Sosa received three [Latin Grammy](/wiki/Latin_Grammy "Latin Grammy") nominations for her album, in 2009 . She went on to win Best Folk Album about a month after her death.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3)[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7)

## Tribute

In 2019, she was celebrated by a [Google Doodle](/wiki/Google_Doodle "Google Doodle"). The doodle was showcased in [Argentina](/wiki/Argentina "Argentina"), Chile, [Uruguay](/wiki/Uruguay "Uruguay"), [Paraguay](/wiki/Paraguay "Paraguay"), [Bolivia](/wiki/Bolivia "Bolivia"), [Peru](/wiki/Peru "Peru"), [Ecuador](/wiki/Ecuador "Ecuador"), [Cuba](/wiki/Cuba "Cuba"), [Iceland](/wiki/Iceland "Iceland"), Sweden, [Serbia](/wiki/Serbia "Serbia"), [Greece](/wiki/Greece "Greece"), [Israel](/wiki/Israel "Israel") and [Vietnam](/wiki/Vietnam "Vietnam").[[25]](#cite_note-25)

## Discography

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Mercedes_sosa.jpg/250px-Mercedes_sosa.jpg)](/wiki/File:Mercedes_sosa.jpg)

Sosa in 2005, with Argentina's then-First Lady (later president from 2007 to 2015), Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

She recorded forty albums.[[3]](#cite_note-Legendary_folk_singer_Mercedes_Sosa_dies_at_74-3)[[7]](#cite_note-Latin_artist_Mercedes_Sosa_dies-7)

### Studio albums

| Year | Album details |
| --- | --- |
| 1962 | [La Voz De La Zafra](/wiki/La_Voz_De_La_Zafra "La Voz De La Zafra") |
| 1965 | Canciones Con Fundamento |
| 1966 | Hermano |
| 1966 | Yo No Canto Por Cantar |
| 1967 | Para Cantarle A Mi Gente |
| 1968 | Con Sabor A Mercedes Sosa |
| 1969 | Mujeres Argentinas |
| 1970 | El Grito De La Tierra |
| 1970 | Navidad Con Mercedes Sosa |
| 1971 | [Homenaje a Violeta Parra](/wiki/Homenaje_a_Violeta_Parra "Homenaje a Violeta Parra") |
| 1972 | Hasta La Victoria |
| 1972 | Cantata Sudamericana |
| 1973 | Traigo Un Pueblo En Mi Voz |
| 1975 | A Que Florezca Mi Pueblo |
| 1976 | En Dirección Del Viento |
| 1977 | Mercedes Sosa Interpreta A Atahualpa Yupanqui |
| 1979 | Serenata Para La Tierra De Uno |
| 1981 | A Quien Doy / Cuando Me Acuerdo de Mi País |
| 1982 | Como Un Pájaro Libre |
| 1983 | Mercedes Sosa |
| 1984 | ¿Será Posible El Sur? |
| 1985 | Vengo A Ofrecer Mi Corazón |
| 1986 | Mercedes Sosa '86 |
| 1987 | Mercedes Sosa '87 |
| 1993 | Sino |
| 1994 | Gestos De Amor |
| 1996 | Escondido En Mi País |
| 1997 | Alta Fidelidad (w/[Charly García](/wiki/Charly_Garc%C3%ADa "Charly García")) |
| 1998 | Al Despertar |
| 1999 | Misa Criolla |
| 2005 | Corazón Libre |
| 2009 | [Cantora 1](/wiki/Cantora,_un_Viaje_%C3%8Dntimo "Cantora, un Viaje Íntimo") (w/various artists) |
| 2009 | [Cantora 2](/wiki/Cantora,_un_Viaje_%C3%8Dntimo "Cantora, un Viaje Íntimo") (w/various artists) |
| 2011 | Censurada |
| 2015 | Lucerito |

### EPs

| Year | EP details |
| --- | --- |
| 1975 | Niño De Mañana |

### Live albums

| Year | Album details |
| --- | --- |
| 1973 | Si Se Calla El Cantor (with Gloria Martin) |
| 1980 | Gravado Ao Vivo No Brasil |
| 1982 | [Mercedes Sosa en Argentina](/wiki/Mercedes_Sosa_en_Argentina "Mercedes Sosa en Argentina") |
| 1985 | Corazón Americano (with [Milton Nascimento](/wiki/Milton_Nascimento "Milton Nascimento") & [León Gieco](/wiki/Le%C3%B3n_Gieco "León Gieco")) |
| 1989 | Live in Europe  * Label: Tropical Music/Polygram Argentina |
| 1991 | De Mí |
| 2002 | Acústico En Vivo  * Label: Sony Music Argentina |
| 2003 | Argentina Quiere Cantar (with [Víctor Heredia](/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_Heredia "Víctor Heredia") & [León Gieco](/wiki/Le%C3%B3n_Gieco "León Gieco")) |
| 2010 | Deja La Vida Volar (En Gira) |
| 2014 | Angel |

### Compilation albums

| Year | Album details |
| --- | --- |
| 1975 | Disco De Oro |
| 1983 | Recital |
| 1988 | Amigos Míos |
| 1993 | 30 Años  * Label: Polygram Argentina |
| 1995 | Oro |
| 1997 | The Best Of Mercedes Sosa |
| 2013 | Siempre En Ti |

## Filmography

* *Güemes, la tierra en armas* (1971)
* *Argentinísima* (1972)
* *Esta es mi Argentina* (1974)
* *Mercedes Sosa, como un pájaro libre* (1983)
* *Será possible el sur: Mercedes Sosa* (1985)
* *Historias de Argentina en vivo* (2001)

## Biographies

Mercedes Sosa, La Negra by Rodolfo Braceli (Spanish only)

Mercedes Sosa, La Mami by Fabián Matus (Spanish only)

Mercedes Sosa, The Voice of Hope by Anette Christensen (translated into Spanish and Portuguese)

Mercedes Sosa, More than a Song by Anette Christensen (translated into Spanish, French, Italian, Lithuanian and Portuguese)

## References

## External links