Cotabambas, Peru

September 3, 1920

One of the most important vocalists in the history of Peruvian music, Chabuca Granda continued to make her presence felt a decade after her death in 1983. Caetano Veloso used her song, "Fina Estampa," as the title track of an album released in 1994, while her song, "Maria Lando," written with Cesar Calvo, provided the North American breakthrough for Peruvian vocalist Susana Baca the following year. Granda's song "La Flor De La Canela" has become an anthem for the city of Lima. Granda worked with a lengthy list of influential guitarists including Oscar Aviles, Martin Torres, Lucho Gonzalez, Alvaro Lagos, and Felix Casaverde. ~ Craig Harris