Simón Díaz

Simón Narciso Díaz Márquez (born August 8, 1928) is a singer and Grammy Award winning composer of Venezuelan music. Career edit: Díaz has endeavored to recover the folklore and musical traditions of the llanos, the Venezuelan plains. This style of music has since been performed by artists such as Argentina's Mercedes Sosa, Brazil's Caetano Veloso, Spain's Joan Manuel Serrat, Peru's Susana Baca, Puerto Rico's Danny Rivera, and Venezuelans Franco De Vita, Soledad Bravo and José Luis Rodríguez, among others. Many of Diaz's works have been adapted by symphonies and choral ensembles throughout Venezuela, as well as being incorporated into the orchestral and choral arrangements of conductors and composers of academic music. Artists from various other disciplines have utilized Díaz's work. For example, German choreographer Pina Bausch included some of Díaz's songs in her work Nur Du. Also, the film director Pedro Almodóvar included Díaz's song "Tonada de Luna Llena" as part of the soundtrack for his film The Flower of My Secret, sung by the Brazilian artist Caetano Veloso. Díaz has also performed in theater, motion pictures and television. In the 1960s he became a comedian in Venezuela. He had the leading role in three plays, and in films like El Reportero and Isla de sal; has produced and hosted 12 different TV shows, all of them devised to promote Venezuelan music. One of these shows, Contesta por Tío Simón, was devoted to teaching popular culture to children. This children's show was on the air for 10 years, during which time Díaz's viewers began calling him "Uncle Simón". Diaz had a daily radio show for twenty-five years which focused on folklore and Venezuelan music. He has recorded over 70 records and CDs and has made innumerable performances throughout his career. Díaz is the author of "Caballo Viejo", which was recorded by the Gipsy Kings as the hit song "Bamboleo". His compositions have been performed by artists such as Plácido Domingo,Ray Conniff,Julio Iglesias,Celia Cruz,Rubén Blades,Gilberto Santa Rosa, Gipsy Kings,Ivan Lins,Joyce,Cheo Feliciano,Juan Gabriel,María Dolores Pradera,Martirio,Tania Libertad,Ry Cooder and Devendra Banhart The Latin American TV channel A&E MUNDO produced a documentary dedicated to Díaz under its "Biography" program that honors Diaz's many contributions to Venezuelan culture, the program began airing in September 2004. This is a list of his work: Serie Title Label LP 6124 Parranda Criolla Palacio LP 6128 Lila + Hugo + Simón: Música de la Película "Isla de Sal" Palacio LP 6136 ¡Ya Llegó Simón! Palacio LP 6146 De Parranda con Simón Palacio LP 6154 Criollo y Sabroso Palacio LP 6181 Caracha Negro Palacio LP 6194 Gaitas y Parrandas con Simón Palacio LP 6221 Simón En Salsa... En Gaita Palacio LP 6253 Gaita 69 Palacio LP 6273 Artistas Venezolanos Solamente Palacio LP 6275 Gaita 70 Palacio LP 6297 Gaita 71 Palacio LPS 66299 Tonadas Palacio L.P.S. 109 Navidad Criolla con el Quinto Criollo Palacio/Guarura LPS 66333 La Gaita de las Cuñas: El Candidato Chévere ¡Vota por Él! Palacio/H.B LPS 66345 Las Gaitas de Simón: Enemigo Público N°1 Palacio/H.B LPS 66363 Las Gaitas de Simón: Culpable? Palacio/H.B LPS 66384 Tonadas Vol.2 Palacio LPS 66383 Las Gaitas de Simón: Cuñas, Locas, Borrachitos Palacio/H.B LPS 66406 Las Gaitas de Simón Palacio/H.B LPS 66407 Canciones Criollas Vol.3 Palacio LPS 66430 Canciones y Tonadas Vol.4 Palacio LPS 66479 Golpe y Pasaje: Caballo Viejo Palacio LPS 66483 Música Folklórica y Popular de Venezuela en Contrapunto Palacio LPS 66508 Tonadas Favoritas Palacio LPS 66591 Sus Grandes Éxitos Palacio LPS 2058 Amor Enguayabao Palacio/Rodven LPS 2067 Cuenta y Canta Vol.1 Palacio LPS 2068 Cuenta y Canta Vol.2 Palacio , Awards and recognition edit: Simón Díaz was awarded the highest recognition conferred by the Venezuelan state, "The Great Ribbon of the Liberator's Order". He was given honorary doctorate degrees by two major Venezuelan universities, Simón Rodríguez University and Zulia's Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta. On September 30, 2008, the Latin Grammy Awards announced that it would honor Díaz with a Lifetime Achievement Award, (El Premio del Consejo Directivo). Diaz was awarded the 2008 Latin Recording Academy Trustees Award, presented by Venezuelan salsa singer Oscar D'León.

Source: Wikipedia

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