Pioneer of the song and guide for later generations of singers, she died in the residence of Noreña where she had resided for several years.
Diamantina Rodríguez, one of the greatest exponents of the 20th-century Asturian tune, absolute reference of the female voices of the Asturian woman and a pioneer of the genre, died at the age of 100 in the residence of Noreña where she lived. Born in Vil.laxime, Quirós council, on September 14, 1920, although they were adopted, she began to listen to traditional Asturian songs thanks to the hobby that some of her relatives professed. She heard the voice of the singer Obdulia Álvarez ‘ La Busdonga ‘ on a gramophone, who would become her reference and source of inspiration, as she would, in turn, be of all subsequent female voices who sought guidance from her when approaching the tune.
At the age of twelve, she will meet her future husband, Argimiro Fernández, who was a piper and with whom she will begin to play at parties, accompanying him with a tambourine. They will marry in 1936 before she participated in the Civil War. In 1939, with the war already over, she moved with her husband to the town of San Nicolás (Soto Ribera). It is here where Diamantina begins to become known as a tune singer.
In 1948 she participated for the first time in the traditional song contest carried out by the newspaper ‘Región’, remaining in a creditable second position in her first public appearance. The contest served him, in addition to making himself known within the world of tune, to establish a relationship with José Menéndez Carreño “Cuchichi” who participated as a member of the jury, who would become her teacher from that moment. In 1955 she would end up winning this contest.
It will settle definitively in Mieres del Camín in 1950, a council that has it included among its illustrious neighbors, with an extensive bibliographic review in which it includes that already in the 60s, with the popularization of the contests, Diamantina will join to the different formations and professional organizations that are offered to celebration societies and companies to carry out actions. During this time she will visit Asturias, most of the Spanish Asturian centers, and a multitude of parties and theaters throughout Spain. Diamantina will participate in the TVE program ‘ La casa de los Martínez ‘.
She will record her first album in 1969 and the second, recorded in 1971, is dedicated to the songbook by Eduardo Martínez Torner. In 1972 she recorded ‘La verde Asturias’ and in 1973 another two albums, entitled ‘Songs Asturianas’. In 1981 will arrive ‘To the mothers of the miners’. In 2002 she received the Medal of Asturias, awarded by the Principality of Asturias, in the silver category, in recognition of her artistic career and her contribution to the recovery of Asturian musical heritage. Since 2003 he was part of the jury of the Silvino Argüelles Memorial, which awards the awards to the ten best tune singers of the year.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
