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{{Short description|Spanish flamenco, classical, jazz guitarist & musician (1947–2014)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Good article}}
{{family name hatnote|Sánchez|Gómez|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = Paco de Lucía
| image            = Paco de Lucía 4.jpg
| image_size       = 
| caption          = De Lucía performing in 2007
| landscape        = yes
| background       = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name       = Francisco Sánchez Gómez
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1947|12|21 | df=yes}}
| birth_place      = [[Algeciras]], [[Province of Cádiz]], Spain
| death_date       = {{death date and age|2014|2|25|1947|12|21 | df=yes}}
| death_place      = [[Playa del Carmen]], Mexico
| instrument       = [[Flamenco guitar]]
| genre            = {{hlist | [[Flamenco music|Flamenco]] | [[Classical music|classical]] }}
| occupation       = {{plainlist|
* [[Guitarist]]
* [[Composer]]
}}
| years_active     = {{start date|1958}}{{ndash}}2014
| past_member_of  = {{plainlist|
* [[Juan d'Anyelica]]
* [[Joaquín Rodrigo]]
* [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]]
* [[Al Di Meola]]
* [[Larry Coryell]]
* [[Paco de Lucía Sextet]]
* Ricardo Modrego
* [[Camarón de la Isla]]
* [[Malú]]
* [[Bryan Adams]]
}}
| module           = {{infobox person
| child               = yes
| awards              = {{plainlist|
* [[Prince of Asturias Awards|Prince of Asturias Award]]
* [[Latin Grammy Award]]
}}

}}
| website          = {{official website}}
}}
<!-- On Paco de Lucía's official website, "he" states that his name is Francisco Sánchez Gómez (despite his mother's Portuguese surname being "Gomes"): This would be consistent with official documents drawn up in Spain during his [early] lifetime-->
'''Francisco Sánchez Gómez'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pacodelucia.org/paco|title=Paco {{!}} pacodelucia.org|access-date=29 January 2020|language=es|archive-date=3 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203015137/http://www.pacodelucia.org/paco|url-status=live}}</ref> ({{IPA|es|fɾanˈθisko ˈsantʃeθ ˈɣomeθ|lang}}; 21 December 1947{{snds}}25 February 2014), known as '''Paco de Lucía''' ({{IPA|es|ˈpako ðe luˈθi.a|lang}}), was a Spanish [[virtuoso]] [[flamenco]] guitarist, [[composer]], and record producer. A leading proponent of the [[new flamenco]] style, he was one of the first flamenco guitarists to branch into classical and jazz. [[Richard Chapman (musician)|Richard Chapman]] and [[Eric Clapton]], authors of ''Guitar: Music, History, Players'', describe de Lucía as a "titanic figure in the world of flamenco guitar",{{sfn|Chapman|Clapton|2000|p=40}} and Dennis Koster, author of ''Guitar Atlas, Flamenco'', has referred to de Lucía as "one of history's greatest guitarists".<ref name="Koster2002">{{cite book|last=Koster|first=Dennis|title=Guitar Atlas, Flamenco|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8SMixi1mbQC&pg=PA5|access-date=4 March 2013|date=1 June 2002|publisher=Alfred Music Publishing|isbn=978-0-7390-2478-2|page=5|archive-date=13 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513170153/https://books.google.com/books?id=l8SMixi1mbQC&pg=PA5|url-status=live}}</ref>

De Lucía was noted for his fast and fluent [[picados]] (fingerstyle runs). A master of contrast, he often juxtaposed picados and [[rasgueado]]s (flamenco strumming) with more sensitive playing and was known for adding abstract chords and scale tones to his compositions with jazz influences. These innovations saw him play a key role in the development of traditional flamenco and the evolution of new flamenco and [[Latin jazz]] fusion from the 1970s. He received acclaim for his recordings with flamenco singer [[Camarón de la Isla]] in the 1970s, recording ten albums which are considered some of the most important and influential in flamenco history.<ref name="Wald2007">{{cite book|last=Wald|first=Elijah|title=Global Minstrels|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6MgyQm3PDb4C&pg=PA185|access-date=4 March 2013|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-97929-0|page=185|archive-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104155120/http://books.google.com/books?id=6MgyQm3PDb4C&pg=PA185|url-status=live}}</ref>

Some of de Lucía's best known recordings include "[[Río Ancho]]" (later fused with [[Al Di Meola]]'s "[[Mediterranean Sundance]]"), "[[Entre dos aguas (song)|Entre dos aguas]]", "[[La Barrosa]]", "[[Ímpetu]]", "[[Cepa Andaluza]]" and "[[Gloria al Niño Ricardo]]". His collaborations with guitarists [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], [[Al Di Meola]] and [[Larry Coryell]] in the late 1970s saw him gain wider popularity outside his native Spain. De Lucía formed the [[Paco de Lucía Sextet]] in 1981 with his brothers, singer [[Pepe de Lucía]] and guitarist [[Ramón de Algeciras]], and collaborated with jazz pianist [[Chick Corea]] on their 1990 album, ''[[Zyryab]]''. In 1992, he performed live at [[Seville Expo '92|Expo '92]] in [[Seville]] and a year later on the [[Plaza Mayor, Madrid|Plaza Mayor]] in [[Madrid]]. He also collaborated with guitarist [[Juan d'Anyelica]] on his album Cositas Buenas. After 2004 he greatly reduced his public performances, retiring from full touring, and typically only gave several concerts a year, usually in Spain and Germany and at European festivals during the summer months.

==Biography==

===Early life===

Paco de Lucía was born on 21 December 1947{{sfn|Woodall|2001}} as Francisco Sánchez Gómez<!-- On Paco de Lucía's official website, "he" states that his name is Francisco Sánchez Gómez (despite his mother's Portuguese surname being "Gomes"): This would be consistent with official documents drawn up in Spain during his [early] lifetime--> in [[Algeciras]],<ref name="AM">{{AllMusic|title=Paco de Lucía: Biography|first=Craig|last=Harris|class=artist|id=mn0000082639|tab=biography|access-date=15 March 2024}}</ref> [[province of Cádiz]], in southern Spain. He was the youngest of the five children of flamenco guitarist [[Antonio Sánchez Pecino]] and [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] mother Lucía Gomes;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/l/lucia.htm|title=Biografia de Paco de Lucía|website=biografiasyvidas.com|language=es|access-date=4 February 2020|archive-date=21 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121233944/https://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/l/lucia.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> his brothers include flamenco singer [[Pepe de Lucía]] and flamenco guitarist [[Ramón de Algeciras]] (now deceased).

Playing in the streets as a young boy, there were many Pacos and Pablos in Algeciras. In Spain and Latin America, any of these children with common first names would be referred to as follows: '"Name of Child", (son or daughter) of "Name of Mother"', or "Paco (son) of Lucía" in his case, instead of using the child's last name. Later, after learning to play the guitar and tasked with figuring out a way to bill himself, wanting to honor his Portuguese mother Lucía Gomes, he adopted the stage name ''Paco de Lucía''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flamenco-guitars.com/paco_de_lucia.html|title=Paco de Lucia flamenco guitar master and virtuoso|publisher=Flamenco-guitars.com|access-date=22 September 2010|archive-date=31 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100731010640/http://www.flamenco-guitars.com/paco_de_lucia.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

His father Antonio received guitar lessons from a cousin of [[Melchor de Marchena]]: Manuel Fernández (aka Titi de Marchena), a guitarist who arrived in Algeciras in the 1920s and established a school there. Antonio introduced Paco to the guitar at a young age and was extremely strict in his upbringing from the age of 5, forcing him to practice up to 12 hours a day, every day, to ensure that he could find success as a professional musician.<ref name="AM"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Bennett|first=Joe|title=Guitar Facts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yPOGykZY1C8C&pg=PA39|year=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=978-0-634-05192-0|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=17 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617122139/https://books.google.com/books?id=yPOGykZY1C8C&pg=PA39|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ross1995">{{cite book|last=Ross|first=Dorien|title=Returning to "A"|url=https://archive.org/details/returningtoa00ross|url-access=registration|access-date=4 May 2011|date=1 October 1995|publisher=City Lights Books|isbn=9780872863071|page=[https://archive.org/details/returningtoa00ross/page/70 70]}}</ref> At one point, his father took him out of school to concentrate solely on his guitar development.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=41}} In a 2012 interview de Lucía stated that, "I learned the guitar like a child learns to speak."<ref name="Reuters">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-delucia-idUSBREA1P0E720140226|title=Renowned Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia dies at 66|work=Reuters|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072342/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-delucia-idUSBREA1P0E720140226|url-status=live}}</ref>

Flamenco guitarist and biographer [[Donn Pohren]] and record producer [[José Torregrosa]] compared Paco's relationship with his father to the relationship of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] and [[Leopold Mozart]] in the way both fathers "moulded their sons" into becoming world-class musicians, and both continued to dictate even after the latter became famous.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=95}}

Paco's brother Ramón idolized [[Niño Ricardo]], and taught his complex [[falseta]]s to his young brother, who would learn them with relative ease and change them to his own liking and embellish them. This initially angered Ramón, who considered Ricardo's works to be sacred and thought his brother was showing off; but he soon began to respect his brother immensely, and came to realize that he was a prodigious talent, ''fuera de serie'' (out of the ordinary).{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=29}}

As also with Ramón, Ricardo was Paco's most important influence, and his first guitar hero; Paco said "all of us youngsters would look up to him, trying to learn from him and copy him."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=EMI Hemisphere Series Spans Gobal Genres|first=Thom|last=Duffy|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_6wkEAAAAMBAJ|date=11 October 1997|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_6wkEAAAAMBAJ/page/n63 62]|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> In 1958, at age 11, Paco made his first public appearance on Radio Algeciras. That year, he met [[Sabicas]] for the first time in Málaga.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=117}} A year later, he was awarded a special prize at the Festival Concurso International Flamenco de Jerez de la Frontera flamenco competition.<ref name="AM" />

===1960s===

At the age of 14 he made his first record with his brother Pepe, ''Los Chiquitos de Algeciras'' (''The little ones from Algeciras'').<ref name="WP">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/spain-flamenco-guitarist-paco-de-lucia-dies-at-66/2014/02/26/8f56a638-9ed0-11e3-878c-65222df220eb_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226142344/http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/spain-flamenco-guitarist-paco-de-lucia-dies-at-66/2014/02/26/8f56a638-9ed0-11e3-878c-65222df220eb_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 February 2014|title=Spain: Flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia dies at 66|newspaper=Washington Post|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014}}</ref> In the early 1960s, de Lucía toured with the flamenco troupe of dancer [[José Greco]].{{sfn|Woodall|2001}} In New York City in 1963, at the age of 15, he had his second encounter with Sabicas and his first encounter with [[Mario Escudero]], both of whom became de Lucía's mentors and later close friends. They urged him to start writing his own material, advice he took to heart.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=117}} In 1964, he met [[Madrid|Madrileño]] guitarist [[Ricardo Modrego]] with whom he recorded three albums: ''[[Dos guitarras flamencas]]'' (1964), ''[[12 canciones de García Lorca para guitarra]]'' and ''[[12 éxitos para 2 guitarras flamencas]]'' (1965).

His early albums were traditional flamenco recordings and he recorded classics such as ''[[Malagueña Salerosa|Malagueña]]'' on the ''12 éxitos para 2 guitarras flamencas'' album. He toured again with José Greco in 1966 and recorded "[[Ímpetu]]", a [[bulerías]] composed by [[Mario Escudero]],{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=76}} for his debut solo album, ''[[La fabulosa guitarra de Paco de Lucía]]'' (1967).{{sfn|Custodio|2005|p=106}} He appeared at the 1967 [[Berlin Jazz Festival]]. According to Gerhard Klingenstein, top jazz musicians who appeared at the festival (i.e. [[Miles Davis]], [[Thelonious Monk]]), profoundly influenced de Lucía, and sparked a fascination for jazz that remained with him throughout his life.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|pp=100, 117}}

[[File:Camarón de la Isla y Paco de Lucía.jpg|thumb|left|With [[Camarón de la Isla]] in a painting by Antonio Guijarro Morales]]

In the late 1960s, de Lucía toured Europe with a group called [[Festival Flamenco Gitano]] and encountered other new talents in the flamenco world including singer [[Camarón de la Isla]], with whom he enjoyed a fruitful collaboration between 1968 and 1977. They recorded ten albums together and received considerable acclaim.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=118}} Richard Nidel said that their partnership was "central to the history of flamenco in the last quarter of the twentieth century."<ref name="Nidel2005">{{cite book|last=Nidel|first=Richard|title=World Music: The Basics|url=https://archive.org/details/worldmusic00rich_0|url-access=registration|access-date=24 March 2013|year=2005|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-96800-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/worldmusic00rich_0/page/140 140]}}</ref>

Organizers began offering de Lucía lucrative contracts for concert tours in 1967, which he declined as he preferred to tour in company, which he did with his brother Ramón, de la Isla and other musicians. De Lucía recorded many albums with his brother, including ''[[Canciones andaluzas para 2 guitarras]]'' (1967), ''[[Dos guitarras flamencas en América Latina]]'' (1967), ''[[Fantasía flamenca de Paco de Lucía]]'' (1969), and ''[[12 Hits para 2 guitarras flamencas y orquesta de cuerda]]'' (1969). They met [[Esteban Sanlucar]] in Buenos Aires and [[Juan Serrano (Flamenco)|Juan Serrano]] in Detroit, and during 1970 spent considerable time in New York City where they grew close to Sabicas and Mario Escudero, playing together into the night.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=119}}

===1970s===

De Lucía made a [[cameo appearance]], dressed as a Mexican guitarist, in the 1971 western ''[[Hannie Caulder]]'', playing the melody of [[Ken Thorne]]'s main theme over a string section. That year, he released the album ''[[El mundo del flamenco]]'', which included a version of Mario Escudero's "Ímpetu", a bulerías.<ref name="Koster2011">{{cite book|last=Koster|first=Dennis|title=The Keys to Flamenco Guitar Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JLxVHINCFCgC&pg=PA7|access-date=24 March 2013|date=18 August 2011|publisher=Mel Bay Publications|isbn=978-1-61065-764-8|page=7|archive-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104155140/http://books.google.com/books?id=JLxVHINCFCgC&pg=PA7|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Guitar International'' mentioned his "very aggressive" approach to playing "Ímpetu".<ref name="Guitar International">{{cite book|title=Guitar International|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9E4AQAAIAAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1990|publisher=Musical New Services Limited|page=40|archive-date=31 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231073836/http://books.google.com/books?id=f9E4AQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Escudero was a major influence on de Lucía during this period, inspiring him to explore new possibilities for flamenco.<ref name="Koster2011"/> He began working with record producer [[José Torregrosa]].

De Lucía's 1972 release ''[[El duende flamenco de Paco de Lucía]]'' was considered a groundbreaking album in the flamenco community.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=79}}{{sfn|Custodio|2005|p=108}} As the 1970s progressed, de Lucía continued to produce groundbreaking albums and ventured into an increasingly unconventional and innovative style of flamenco with jazz influences.<ref name="AM"/> His next release, ''[[Fuente y caudal]]'', acclaimed particularly for his "[[Entre dos aguas (song)|Entre dos aguas]]", which has become arguably his best-known composition,<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pAkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54|access-date=20 June 2013|date=6 July 1996|page=54|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628115610/http://books.google.com/books?id=pAkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> and also for "Solera" and "[[Cepa Andaluza]]". "Entre dos aguas", a [[rumba flamenca|rumba]] featuring bongos with an electric bass, means "Between two waters", referring to his home town of Algeciras, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=81}} Biographer Pohren describes "Cepa Andaluza" as a "phenomenal" bulerías, which is "accompanied by palmas, shouts of encouragement and general jaleo, and makes one want to leap up and dance."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=81}} The album also features several other tracks named after Andalusian landmarks, a theme de Lucía continued in his later albums.

The ''Fuente y caudal'' album was one of the best-selling Spanish records for several months and de Lucía and Torregrosa found that the additional instruments and approach away from traditional flamenco proved more popular with the general public.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=80}} The early influences of the traditional players became increasingly less apparent as de Lucía embraced jazz and other influences, creating his own voice and distinct style, yet never venturing too far from his roots.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=80}}<ref name="AM" />

[[File:Juan el de la Vara con Paco de Lucía.jpg|thumb|right|With [[Juan el de la Vara]]]]

On 18 February 1975, de Lucía became the first-ever flamenco performer to perform at the [[Teatro Real]] of Madrid. He played a set with his brother Ramón, in front of a relatively young audience without the use of effects. Pohren said that de Lucía's performance "was brilliant technically, and played a meaningful, moving, traditional brand of flamenco that did not betray what Paco had in store for the flamenco guitar in the future."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=82}} The recording was released as ''[[En vivo desde el Teatro Real]]''.

His 1976 album, ''[[Almoraima]]'', was a wider success and featured "Almoraima" and "[[Río Ancho (song)|Río Ancho]]". The album was named after a former convent of the same name located about {{convert|21|km}} from Algeciras on the road to [[Jimena de la Frontera]], which had recently been converted into a hotel complex. The album featured significant Arabic and jazz influences especially in the bulerías composition of the same name; the name Almoraima is of Arabic origin from the [[Moors|Moorish]] period.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=82}} De Lucía performed on an episode of ''[[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]]'' on [[BBC]] in the UK, in which [[Michael Parkinson]] said "a marvelous young musician who is making his very first appearance on British television. His unconventional and modern approach to playing flamenco has already made him a big star in Europe, particularly in his native Spain."<ref>{{cite video|last=Parkinson|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Parkinson|title=Paco de Lucía, ''[[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]]''|publisher=[[BBC]]|year=1976}}</ref>

In 1977, de Lucía married Casilda Varela, the daughter of [[José Enrique Varela|General Varela]] and descendant to a powerful Basque industrialist [[José Joaquín Ampuero y del Río|Ampuero]] family; they had three children.<ref name="Films in Review">{{cite book|title=Films in Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vRFCAQAAIAAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1978|publisher=National Board of Review of Motion Pictures|page=143|archive-date=2 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502023448/https://books.google.com/books?id=vRFCAQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> He released his final album, ''[[Castillo de Arena]]'' with Camarón de la Isla, The lyrics were written by Antonio Sánchez, with the exception of the bulerías ''Samara'', which Sánchez and de la Isla wrote together. This would be his last LP with a singer for at least 15 years.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=92}} He reportedly said that the human voice is "naturally too limited" and that he prefers the exploration of different instrumentalists; he also said a busy schedule was the reason for lack of recordings with singers.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=92}}

He performed extensively across the US and Europe during this period, increasing his popularity outside Spain and the flamenco community in Europe, and met many jazz, [[Latin music (genre)|Latin]] and other musicians who continued to influence de Lucía's evolution as a "Nuevo flamenco" player. He began to show a very keen interest in [[jazz fusion|jazz fusion and rock]], and in 1977 performed with [[Carlos Santana]] in the [[Plaza de toros de las Arenas]] bullring in [[Barcelona]].{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=100}} He was invited by [[Al Di Meola]] to record on his "[[Mediterranean Sundance]]" piece for his album ''[[Elegant Gypsy]]''. Despite considerable new interest in flamenco and de Lucía's playing generated by the album, traditionalist flamenco critics did not approve of the piece and hated that many people considered ''Mediterranean Sundance'' flamenco music and frowned upon de Lucía.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=102}} Di Meola informed the critics not to worry and that "Paco is not leaving flamenco, but expanding it."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=102}} In 1978, Paco and his brothers recorded ''[[Interpreta a Manuel de Falla]]'', a classical effort of compositions by [[Manuel de Falla]].

In 1979, de Lucía, [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], and [[Larry Coryell]] formed The Guitar Trio and together made a tour of Europe and released a video recorded at London's [[Royal Albert Hall]] entitled ''Meeting of the Spirits''. Pohren said that de Lucía's decision to work with musicians like McLaughlin, Di Meola, Coryell, and Chick Corea must have been an "exciting and stimulating" experience for him, given their technical musical knowledge and ability to improvise and said that they carried him "so far afield that at times he must have been profoundly confused, a man running the risk of losing his musical identity."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=101}} This concerned de Lucía, who said in a late 1990s interview, "I have never lost the roots in my music, because I would lose myself. What I have tried to do is have a hand holding onto tradition and the other scratching, digging in other places, trying to find new things I can bring into flamenco."<ref name="AM"/>

===1980s===

[[File:Tres GUITARRISTAS (así, con mayúsculas).jpg|thumb|right|Left to right: [[Al Di Meola]], [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], and de Lucía performing in [[Barcelona]], Spain in the 1980s]]

The Guitar Trio continued touring in 1980, with Larry Coryell being replaced by Al Di Meola in 1981. De Lucía reportedly suffered from headaches and backaches while performing because he found it difficult to improvise and follow McLaughlin and Coryell's advanced knowledge of jazz improvisation.<ref name="Martinez2011">{{cite book|last=Martinez|first=Emma|title=Flamenco: All You Wanted to Know|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bzd1CTtnjS8C&pg=PA55|access-date=24 March 2013|date=24 February 2011|publisher=Mel Bay Publications|isbn=978-1-60974-470-0|page=55|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628125324/http://books.google.com/books?id=Bzd1CTtnjS8C&pg=PA55|url-status=live}}</ref> Paco professed, "Some people assume that they were learning from me, but I can tell you it was me learning from them. I have never studied music, I am incapable of studying harmony—I don't have the discipline, playing with McLaughlin and Di Meola was about learning these things."<ref name="Inc.2004"/>

Also in 1981, The Guitar Trio released one of their most successful records, ''[[Friday Night in San Francisco]]'', which sold over 1 million copies and generated a significant interest in flamenco music in America and Europe. It featured an extended combination of "[[Mediterranean Sundance]]" and "[[Río Ancho]]"; this became arguably the piece most associated with the musicians. De Lucía also formed the [[Paco de Lucía Sextet]] in 1981 (which included his brothers Ramón and Pepe), and released the first of its three albums that same year. On 30 August 1981, de Lucía performed a solo set at [[St. Goarshausen]] in Germany, where he performed "Monasterio de Sal" and "Montino" among others and later performed with The Guitar Trio. The event was broadcast on national [[Westdeutscher Rundfunk|WDR]] television.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fl8RBIr_WY|title=Paco De Lucia – Monasterio De Sal|date=8 January 2010 |via=YouTube|access-date=27 February 2014|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628170534/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fl8RBIr_WY|url-status=live}}</ref>

Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin took part on the making of Paco de Lucía's ''[[Castro Marín]]'' (1981). It was named after the hometown of Paco's Portuguese mother, Luzia. Recorded at [[Tokyo]] in December 1980, ''Castro Marín'' remains one of the most obscure titles in his catalogue. Coryell and Paco played as duo on the fifth track, "Convite (Rumba)", and as a trio on the next track "Palenque".<ref name="CasMan">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Castro Marín|title-link=Castro Marín|first1=José Manuel|last1=Gamboa|first2=Faustino|last2=Núñez|others=Paco de Lucía|date=2005|page=2|type=booklet|publisher=Global Rhythm Press|id=M-28367-2005|location=Spain}}</ref>

After ''Castro Marín'' came Paco's revolutionary ''[[Sólo quiero caminar (album)|Sólo quiero caminar]]'' (1981). It was the very first to be recorded with [[Paco de Lucía Sextet|Paco's sextet]], a group that brought into being a new way to play flamenco. One of the sextet's major contributions was introducing the [[Peruvian]] [[cajón]] within a flamenco context. Percussionist [[Rubem Dantas]] came up with an original style of playing the instrument, one that became unique to flamenco. Largely due to ''Sólo quiero caminar'', the cajón crossed over to other [[latin music]] styles, such as the [[tango]] and [[rumba]].<ref name="Sólo">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Sólo quiero caminar|title-link=Sólo quiero caminar (album)|first1=José Manuel|last1=Gamboa|first2=Faustino|last2=Núñez|others=Paco de Lucía|date=2005|page=2|type=booklet|publisher=Global Rhythm Press|id=B-52886-2004|location=Spain}}</ref>

In 1982, de Lucía put on a series of concerts with jazz pianist Chick Corea.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=101}} Corea was a considerable influence on him in the 1980s and he and McLaughlin adapted a version of his piece "[[Spain (composition)|Spain]]", performing it live together several times in the mid to late 1980s. He released a "Golden" double compilation album in 1982, ''La Guitarra de Oro de Paco de Lucía'', covering de Lucía's earliest recordings with Ricardo Modrego of [[Federico García Lorca]] songs to date, and featured two [[siguiriyas]], a flamenco form in which he had not indulged in his recordings since 1972.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=87}}

John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía reconvened to record a studio album, ''[[Passion, Grace & Fire]]'' (1983). In the Spanish remaster of the album, flamenco scholars José Manuel Gamboa and Faustino Nuñez weigh in their impressions on the liner notes. Though somewhat lacking the "warmth" of the live setting of their debut, ''Passion, Grace & Fire'' is a more balanced effort. The three performers contributed with two compositions each.<ref>{{cite book|last=Randel|first=Don M.|author-link=Don Michael Randel|title=The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music|url=https://archive.org/details/harvardbiographi00rand|url-access=registration|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1996|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-37299-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/harvardbiographi00rand/page/535 535]|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref><ref name="TrioCD-2">{{Cite AV media notes|title=Passion, Grace and Fire|title-link=Passion, Grace and Fire|first1=José Manuel|last1=Gamboa|first2=Faustino|last2=Núñez|others=[[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], [[Al Di Meola]] y Paco de Lucía|date=2005|page=2|type=booklet|publisher=Global Rhythm Press|id=M-28287-2005|location=Spain}}</ref>

Paco de Lucía had an acting role in [[Carlos Saura]]'s highly acclaimed film [[Carmen (1983 film)|''Carmen'']], for which he was also nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Score. De Lucía composed original film scores for several films in the 1980s, including ''[[The Hit (1984 film)|The Hit]]'', a 1984 film in which he provided the soundtrack with [[Eric Clapton]], with a minor contribution by [[Roger Waters]].<ref name="Povey2007">{{cite book|last=Povey|first=Glenn|title=Echoes: The Complete History of Pink Floyd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C&pg=RA4-PT56|access-date=24 March 2013|year=2007|publisher=Mind Head Publishing|isbn=978-0-9554624-0-5|page=4|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628132649/http://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C&pg=RA4-PT56|url-status=live}}</ref>

On his 1984 album, ''[[Live... One Summer Night]]'', de Lucía not only played guitar, but also filled the role of producer.<ref name="Digital1988">{{cite book|title=Digital Audio and Compact Disc Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2SU9AQAAIAAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1988|publisher=WGE Publishing|page=112|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628133127/http://books.google.com/books?id=2SU9AQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Paco de Lucía has also appeared as himself on television in documentaries and TV shows and accepted a position as a judge at Seville's 1984 [[Bienal de Flamenco]].{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=124}}

[[File:Paco, el de Lucía (el maestro).jpg|thumb|left|1983]]

By the mid-1980s, both the Sextet and the Guitar Trio had reached its plateau and stopped performing together,{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=121}}{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=104}} although de Lucía would continue to perform with McLaughlin as a duo across Europe in 1986 and later. In a 1986 interview with ''[[DownBeat]]'' magazine, Di Meola said that the reason for the breakdown was that their performances were designed to "drive the audience berserk" with a display of astonishing virtuosity and that they had run out of new spectacular fast runs to impress the audiences.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=104}} Di Meola remarked that the music had become too "wild and crazy" and that he preferred to explore the quieter side of music, something Paco also felt, saying that he preferred "controlled expression to velocity."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=104}} In May 1986, he performed at the Centro de Bellas Artes Rock music festival alongside the likes of [[Earl Klugh]], [[Spyro Gyra]], and [[Dave Valentin]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_yQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA14|access-date=24 March 2013|date=24 May 1986|page=14|archive-date=11 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511174926/https://books.google.com/books?id=_yQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA14|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref>

In 1987, de Lucía performed for the first time in the [[Soviet Union]],<ref name="Music in the USSR.">{{cite book|title=Music in the USSR.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQFMAAAAYAAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1987|publisher=VAAP-INFORM|page=94|archive-date=24 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424093024/https://books.google.com/books?id=wQFMAAAAYAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> and went back to his roots with his highly successful release, ''[[Siroco (album)|Siroco]]''. ''Siroco'' is often cited as his best album and one of the greatest flamenco albums of all time.<ref name="Steingress2002">{{cite book|last=Steingress|first=Gerhard|title=Songs of the Minotaur: Hybridity and Popular Music in the Era of Globalization: a Comparative Analysis of Rebetika, Tango, Rai, Flamenco, Sardana, and English Urban Folk|url=https://archive.org/details/songsofminotaurh00stei|url-access=registration|access-date=22 April 2013|year=2002|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-8258-6363-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/songsofminotaurh00stei/page/195 195]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culturecourt.com/M/LR/newflamenco.htm|title=The New Flamenco|publisher=Culturecourt.com|access-date=22 April 2013|archive-date=21 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121015705/http://www.culturecourt.com/M/LR/newflamenco.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

His compositions "La Cañada", the opening track, a tango called "[[La Barrosa]]", an alegrías named after the [[Playa la Barrosa]] in the province of Cadiz, and "[[Gloria al Niño Ricardo]]", a soléa, received considerable attention and are considered modern flamenco classics.{{sfn|Newman|2009|p=24}} Eric Clapton and [[Richard Chapman (musician)|Richard Chapman]] described "La Barrosa", a sweet alegrías played in B major, as, "full of effortless delicacy with cascading phrases."{{sfn|Chapman|Clapton|2000|p=41}} "Gloria al Niño Ricardo" is dedicated to Niño Ricardo who was de Lucía's "first hero" of the guitar.{{sfn|Custodio|2005|p=85}}{{sfn|Woodall|2001|p=317}} Several of his compositions from ''Siroco'' formed the staple of de Lucía's later concert performances, and he often began his concerts with "La Cañada".

In 1989, de Lucía refused to perform at the bullring in Seville with [[Plácido Domingo]] and [[Julio Iglesias]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/1989/10/14/cultura/624322807_850215.html|title=Paco de Lucía no actuó junto a Plácido Domingo y Julio Iglesias porque "sentí ofendida mi cultura"|author=Ediciones El País|newspaper=EL PAÍS|date=13 October 1989|access-date=8 November 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035924/http://elpais.com/diario/1989/10/14/cultura/624322807_850215.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1990s===

Although the sextet had declined after 1986, in 1990 they got together to record ''[[Zyryab]]'', a groundbreaking Arabic flamenco/jazz album with jazz pianist [[Chick Corea]] and fellow virtuoso flamenco guitarist [[Manolo Sanlúcar]]. The album is named after [[Ziryab]], an 8th–9th century [[Shiraz]]-born poet/musician at the [[Umayyad]] court in [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], credited with introducing to Spain the Persian lute, which evolved into the Spanish guitar—and according to some, established flamenco itself.<ref name="ShortCuts2011">{{cite book|title=The Costa del Sol, Spain: Frommer's ShortCuts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KwpD6Viu3_IC&pg=PT77|access-date=24 March 2013|date=14 October 2011|publisher=Frommer's ShortCuts, John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-19091-3|page=77|archive-date=1 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101094222/http://books.google.com/books?id=KwpD6Viu3_IC&pg=PT77|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=89}} One track on the album, a [[tarantas (flamenco palo)|tarantas]], is dedicated to Sabicas.<ref name="AguileraSedeño2008">{{cite book|last1=Aguilera|first1=Miguel de|last2=Sedeño|first2=Ana|title=Comunicación y música II. Tecnología y audiencias|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xq4RrTETixAC&pg=PA185|access-date=24 March 2013|year=2008|publisher=Editorial UOC|isbn=978-84-9788-721-2|page=185|archive-date=1 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101094553/http://books.google.com/books?id=xq4RrTETixAC&pg=PA185|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was critically well-received; ''[[JazzTimes]]'' praised the passion and rhythm of the musicians featuring on the album.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Paco de Lucía: ''Zyryab''|type=review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i4YJAQAAMAAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|year=1992|magazine=[[JazzTimes]]|archive-date=1 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101093041/http://books.google.com/books?id=i4YJAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}{{page needed|date=March 2024}}</ref>

[[File:PacoLucía-Reverte-Jerez-Dsc03028.jpg|thumb|[[Sherry]] barrel signed by de Lucía]]

Until asked to perform and interpret [[Joaquín Rodrigo]]'s ''[[Concierto de Aranjuez]]'' in 1991, de Lucía was not proficient at reading [[musical notation]].{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=109}} Biographer Pohren, however, at the time of writing his biography in 1992, said that he was still not proficient and had found a bizarre way of learning the piece, locking himself away.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=124-5}}

His performance with the orchestra under [[Edmon Colomer]] was highly acclaimed, a sensitive, atmospheric rendition that composer Rodrigo himself praised, describing it as "pretty, exotic, inspired ... I might add that Paco plays it with a great deal of feeling, far more than is normally heard. And that goes for the orchestra that backs him up."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=124}} In 1992, he performed live at the bullring at [[Seville Expo '92]], and a year later on the [[Plaza Mayor, Madrid|Plaza Mayor]] in [[Madrid]], playing "La Barrosa". In 1995, he and [[Bryan Adams]] recorded the hit song and video "[[Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?]]" on the soundtrack for the American film ''[[Don Juan DeMarco]]''.

In 1996, his first "golden hits" album, ''Antología'', was in the top 20 in Spain for at least 16 weeks, selling over 65,000 copies.<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xAcEAAAAMBAJ|access-date=24 March 2013|date=27 July 1996|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xAcEAAAAMBAJ/page/n60 61]|publisher=Nielsen Business Media }}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> In 1997, de Lucía performed in a tribute show to the assassinated Spanish politician [[Miguel Ángel Blanco]], alongside [[Julio Iglesias]], [[Los del Rio]], and other musicians.<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_gkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33|access-date=24 March 2013|date=30 August 1997|page=33|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628132814/http://books.google.com/books?id=_gkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> In 1998 he released and produced ''[[Luzia (album)|Luzia]]'', dedicated to his dying mother (hence the Portuguese spelling of her name).<ref name="pacodelucia.org">{{cite book|title=pacodelucia.org|url=http://www.pacodelucia.org/en/disc/luzia|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704063621/http://www.pacodelucia.org/en/disc/luzia|url-status=live}}</ref> It is considered to be one of de Lucía's most complete and mature artistic statements.<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oggEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT47|access-date=24 March 2013|date=11 September 1999|pages=47–|archive-date=28 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628132927/http://books.google.com/books?id=oggEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT47|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref>

===2000–14===

De Lucía lived for five years in [[Quintana Roo]], Mexico, but returned to his native Spain in 2003 after professing to have become really tired with spending his whole life touring for six to eight months a year, getting up at the crack of dawn and living in hotels.<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52|access-date=24 March 2013|date=7 February 2004|page=52|archive-date=16 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516192432/https://books.google.com/books?id=XREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> He continued to keep a holiday home in Mexico though and regularly visited with his family.

In 2004 he toured the United States and Canada with Seville flamenco singer [[La Tana]],<ref name="Inc.2004">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=V2 Spain Does Not Limit Itself to 'Indie Sound'|first=Howell|last=Llewellyn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3A8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26|access-date=15 March 2024|date=6 March 2004|page=26|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513114746/https://books.google.com/books?id=3A8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26|url-status=live}}</ref> but subsequently greatly reduced his live performances in public. He retired from full touring, and would only give a few concerts a year, usually in Spain and Germany and at European festivals during the summer months. Pohren described de Lucía as "extremely timid and retiring", saying that, "Being a very private person, [he] was dismayed at the ensuing popularity and lionization, and the increased pressure fame placed upon his shoulders, demanding that he constantly innovate and work harder to achieve technical and revolutionary perfection."{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=95-6}}

In 2003, de Lucía released ''[[Integral (album)|Integral]]'' (2003), a 26{{nbsp}}CD Limited Edition Box Set, and ''[[Por Descubrir]]'', a compilation album. In 2004, de Lucía released ''[[Cositas Buenas]]'' with [[Javier Limón]]. It was released on Blue Thumb Records by Universal Music Spain S.L., and features four [[bulerías]], two [[rumba flamenca|rumba]] tracks, a [[tango (flamenco)|tangos]] and a [[tiento]]s. It won the [[Latin Grammy Award]] for [[Latin Grammy Award for Best Flamenco Album|Best Flamenco Album]] in 2004 and the [[Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin Jazz Album of the Year|''Billboard'' Latin Music Award for Latin Jazz Album of the Year]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://javierlimon.casalimon.tv/bio|title=Biodata|publisher=Javierlimon.casalimon.tv|access-date=24 April 2013|archive-date=25 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025024729/http://javierlimon.casalimon.tv/bio/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/63104/2005-billboard-latin-music-awards-winners|title=2005 Billboard Latin Music Awards Winners|magazine=Billboard|date=29 April 2005|access-date=29 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614085947/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/63104/2005-billboard-latin-music-awards-winners|archive-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>

In 2005, he was nominated for [[Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year|producer of the year]] by the Latin Grammy for La Tana's "Tu, Ven a Mi",<ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ERUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48|access-date=24 March 2013|date=22 October 2005|pages=48, 59–|archive-date=1 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101082015/http://books.google.com/books?id=ERUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> which was de Lucía's first recording where he directed another artist since working on Camarón de la Isla's ''Potro de rabia y miel''.<ref name=flamenco-world.com2005>{{cite news|title=La Tana makes her recording début with an album produced by Paco de Lucía|url=http://www.flamenco-world.com/noticias/tana.htm|newspaper=Flamenco-world.com|date=February 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029205058/http://www.flamenco-world.com/noticias/tana.htm|archive-date=29 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2004, he won the [[Prince of Asturias Awards]] in Arts, and on 23 March 2007, the [[University of Cadiz]] recognized de Lucía's musical and cultural contributions by conferring on him the title of Doctor [[Honoris Causa]]. In 2010, he was awarded an [[Honorary degree|honorary doctorate]] by [[Berklee College of Music]] in [[Boston]],<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bush|first=Allen|date=8 May 2010|title=2010 Honorary Doctor Recipients Represent R&B, Flamenco, Jazz, and World Music|journal=[[Berklee College of Music]]|url=http://www.berklee.edu/news/1821/2010-honorary-doctor-recipients-represent-r-b-fl|access-date=24 May 2010|archive-date=13 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513081748/http://www.berklee.edu/news/1821/2010-honorary-doctor-recipients-represent-r-b-fl|url-status=live}}</ref> and performed at the [[Montreux Festival]]. He was also known for some years to select countries where he did not usually perform, and played at the [[Pula Arena|Arena]] in [[Pula]], [[Croatia]] in 2006 and 2010,<ref>{{cite news|title=Virtuozni ples na gitari Paca de Lucije|url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/arhiva/virtuozni-ples-na-gitari-paca-de-lucije/3346337/|date=2 July 2006|newspaper=[[Jutarnji list]]|language=hr|access-date=26 May 2017|archive-date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303050255/https://www.jutarnji.hr/arhiva/virtuozni-ples-na-gitari-paca-de-lucije/3346337/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=U noći punog Mjeseca pulska Arena očarana gitarom|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/kultura/u-noci-punog-mjeseca-pulska-arena-ocarana-gitarom-182672|date=24 August 2010|newspaper=[[Večernji list]]|language=hr|access-date=26 May 2017|archive-date=2 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302225302/https://www.vecernji.hr/kultura/u-noci-punog-mjeseca-pulska-arena-ocarana-gitarom-182672|url-status=live}}</ref> and in [[Turkey]], [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]] in 2013. He appeared at the 49th Carthage International Festival on 31 July, playing at the Roman Theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tunisky.com/paco-de-lucia-au-festival-de-carthage-le-31-juillet|title=Paco de Lucia au festival de Carthage le 31 juillet|publisher=Tunisky.com|date=4 June 2013|language=fr|access-date=11 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608122748/http://www.tunisky.com/paco-de-lucia-au-festival-de-carthage-le-31-juillet|archive-date=8 June 2013}}http://www.tunisky.com/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603052547/http://www.tunisky.com/ |date=3 June 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tunisie14.tn/article/detail/le-concert-envivo-de-paco-de-lucia-au-festival-international-de-carthage|title=Le concert "Envivo" de Paco de Lucia au festival international de Carthage|publisher=Tunisie14.tn|date=4 June 2013|access-date=11 June 2013|language=fr|archive-date=13 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613070451/http://tunisie14.tn/article/detail/le-concert-envivo-de-paco-de-lucia-au-festival-international-de-carthage|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Death===

De Lucía died of a [[heart attack]] on 25 February 2014, while on holiday with his family in [[Playa del Carmen]], [[Quintana Roo]], Mexico. While playing soccer with his son on the beach, he asked his wife to take him to the hospital because he felt a "strange coolness in his throat." He was taken to a hospital and was able to enter the emergency room on his own, but had to be helped into a gurney. Soon after, he lost consciousness and died.

His brother Pepe commented that de Lucía had quit a two-pack a day smoking habit 20 days earlier, and vowed to take up more sports activity after the death of his friend Félix Grande.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sipse.com/entretenimiento/muere-guitarrista-paco-de-lucia-cancun-vacaciones-77777.html|title=Muere el guitarrista flamenco Paco de Lucía, en Playa del Carmen (video)|language=es|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014|publisher=Grupo SIPSE|archive-date=3 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303080828/http://sipse.com/entretenimiento/muere-guitarrista-paco-de-lucia-cancun-vacaciones-77777.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/2014/pgje-confirma-muerte-de-paco-de-lucia-en-playa-del-carmen-990696.html|title=PGJE confirma muerte de Paco de Lucía en Playa del Carmen|language=es|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014|work=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]]|archive-date=3 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303023141/http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/2014/pgje-confirma-muerte-de-paco-de-lucia-en-playa-del-carmen-990696.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2014/818036.html|title=Paco de Lucía murió en Playa del Carmen: Procuraduría de Quintana Roo|language=es|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014|work=[[La Crónica de Hoy]]|archive-date=26 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226175922/http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2014/818036.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/escenas/Paco-Lucia-propio-hospital-murio_0_362963760.html|title=Paco de Lucía llegó por su propio pie al hospital donde murió|language=es|date=26 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2014|work=El Nacional|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226230445/http://www.el-nacional.com/escenas/Paco-Lucia-propio-hospital-murio_0_362963760.html|archive-date=26 February 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.es/cultura/musica/20140227/abci-muerte-paco-lucia-201402271310.html|title=Paco de Lucía, a su mujer: "Gabriela, llévame al hospital que tengo un frío muy raro en la garganta"|language=es|date=27 February 2014|access-date=26 February 2017|work=ABC.es|archive-date=23 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223150417/http://www.abc.es/cultura/musica/20140227/abci-muerte-paco-lucia-201402271310.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His remains are buried at the municipal cemetery of his hometown Algeciras, Andalucía.<ref>{{cite news|title=Los restos de Paco de Lucía reposan en el antiguo cementerio municipal de Algeciras|url=http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20140301/multitudinaria-despedida-paco-lucia-algeciras-natal/888515.shtml|access-date=22 November 2014|publisher=[[RTVE]]|date=1 March 2014|language=es|archive-date=1 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001105806/http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20140301/multitudinaria-despedida-paco-lucia-algeciras-natal/888515.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> De Lucía posthumously won the [[Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year]] for his album ''[[Canción Andaluza]]'' at the [[Latin Grammy Awards of 2014|2014 awards ceremony]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Jue|first1=Teresa|title=Enrique Iglesias, Calle 13 take home multiple Latin Grammys|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/11/21/latin-grammys-2014/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|access-date=22 November 2014|date=21 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129043236/http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/11/21/latin-grammys-2014/|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after his passing, the regional government of the [[Community of Madrid]] announced that the [[Paco de Lucía (Madrid Metro)|new northern terminus]] of [[Line 9 (Madrid Metro)|Line 9]] of the city's [[Madrid Metro|Metro system]] would be named after him as a tribute.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/madrid/noticia-paco-lucia-dara-nombre-nueva-estacion-metro-linea-calle-costa-brava-20140227125940.html|title=Paco de Lucía dará nombre a una estación de Metro|website=europapress.es|language=es|date=27 February 2014|access-date=4 February 2020|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204143253/https://www.europapress.es/madrid/noticia-paco-lucia-dara-nombre-nueva-estacion-metro-linea-calle-costa-brava-20140227125940.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==

[[File:Paco de Lucia in 2010.jpg|thumb|right|At the San Vito Jazz Festival in July 2010]]

De Lucía was widely considered to be the world's premier flamenco guitarist and by many to be Spain's greatest musical export.<ref name="Inc.2004"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lxAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41|access-date=4 March 2013|date=18 July 1992|page=41|archive-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104155153/http://books.google.com/books?id=lxAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41|url-status=live}}{{title missing|date=March 2024}}</ref> He had a revolutionary influence on flamenco music both as a composer and otherwise.<ref name="JT">{{cite web|url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/14820-paco-de-lucia-flamenco-buena|title=Paco de Lucía: Flamenco Bueno|publisher=Jazz Times|last=Contreras|first=Felix|access-date=20 August 2012|date=August 2004|archive-date=10 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010235159/http://jazztimes.com/articles/14820-paco-de-lucia-flamenco-buena|url-status=live}}</ref> His influence on flamenco guitar has been compared with that of [[Andrés Segovia]]'s on classical guitar.<ref>{{citation|author1=A. Bennett|author2=K. Dawe|title=Guitar Cultures|location=New York|publisher=Berg Publishers|year=2001|page=66|url=https://www.questia.com/read/102026510|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=7 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107195941/https://www.gale.com/databases/questia|url-status=live}}</ref>

His album ''[[Fuente y caudal]]'' (''Fountain and Flow'') has been cited by many to have changed the world of flamenco guitar beyond traditional flamenco culture.<ref>{{citation|author1=E. Rodgers|author2=V. Rodgers|title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture|location=London|publisher=Routledge|year=1999|page=243|url=https://www.questia.com/read/102851741|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=8 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208025157/http://www.questia.com/read/102851741|url-status=live}}</ref> Along with [[Enrique Morente]] and [[Camarón de la Isla]], de Lucía was the first artist to break away from traditional flamenco and form what is now known as ''[[nuevo flamenco]]''.<ref>{{citation|author1=E. Rodgers|author2=V. Rodgers|title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture|location=London|publisher=Routledge|year=1999|page=374|url=https://www.questia.com/read/102851741|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=8 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208025157/http://www.questia.com/read/102851741|url-status=live}}</ref> As a composer, de Lucía was the first Spanish artist to mix jazz with Andalusian music in a more or less systematic way.<ref>{{citation|first=Edward F.|last=Stanton|title=Handbook of Spanish Popular Culture|location=Westport, Connecticut|publisher=Greenwood Press|year=1999|page=146|url=https://www.questia.com/read/15131106|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=10 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210121030/http://www.questia.com/read/15131106|url-status=live}}</ref> This includes, but is not limited to, his collaborations with Di Meola, McLaughlin, and [[Pedro Iturralde]].<ref>{{citation|first=Claus|last=Schreiner|title=Flamenco: Gypsy Dance and Music from Andalusia|location=Portland, Oregon|publisher=Amadeus Press|year=1990|page=32|url=https://www.questia.com/read/77290329|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=7 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107195944/https://www.gale.com/databases/questia|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|first=Ted|last=Gioia|title=The History of Jazz|location=New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1997|page=368|url=https://www.questia.com/read/80454676|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=26 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426112539/http://www.questia.com/read/80454676|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Esteban de Sanlúcar]] and [[Mario Escudero]] were also major influences on him and sources of inspiration. According to biographer Pohren, de Lucía was "fascinated with jazz" and held a deep respect for high-tech jazz musicians, regarding Di Meola, McLaughlin, Coryell and Corea as highly as musicians as he did his flamenco mentors.{{sfn|Pohren|1992|p=99}} Despite these influences, according to the ''[[Jazz Times]]'', "Most flamenco fans can trace the music's history to either Before Paco or After Paco."<ref name="JT" /> In 2004 interview with ''[[El País]]'' he said "I have always found that the more technique you have the easier it is to express yourself. If you lack technique you lose the freedom to create."<ref name="WP" /> Like many other flamenco guitarists he often played a [[Hermanos Conde]] guitar and had his own signature model,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hermanosconde.com/modelo1.html|title=Modelo Paco de Lucía|publisher=Hermanosconde.com|access-date=31 March 2014|language=es|archive-date=20 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720090606/http://www.hermanosconde.com/modelo1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but had a range of guitars in his collection.

[[File:Paco de Lucia Malaga.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|De Lucía at [[Gibralfaro]], [[Málaga]] in 2007]]

[[Richard Chapman (musician)|Richard Chapman]] and [[Eric Clapton]] describe de Lucía as a "titanic figure in the world of flamenco guitar", highlighting his "astounding technique and inventiveness" and his broad range of musical ideas from other styles, such as Brazilian music and jazz.{{sfn|Chapman|Clapton|2000|p=40}} He is noted for his innovation and colour in harmony and his remarkable [[dexterity]], [[Skill|technique]], strength and fluidity in his right hand, capable of executing extremely fast and fluent [[picados]]. A master of contrast, he often juxtaposes picados with [[rasgueado]]s and other techniques and often adds abstract chords and scale tones to his compositions with jazz influences.

Bill Milkowski of ''[[DownBeat]]'' described him as "the portrait of studied concentration and pristine perfection: stiff backed and stern faced, with a distinguished air about him that some might misread as haughtiness. He's proud and majestic, like a regal Arabian steed prancing with grace and elegance, yet able to reveal great power."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/paco-de-luc-a-2#ixzz2xYWuWFeE|title=Paco de Lucia|publisher=Gale Musician's Profiles|access-date=31 March 2014|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730032457/http://www.answers.com/topic/paco-de-luc-a-2#ixzz2xYWuWFeE|url-status=live}}</ref> Craig Harris of [[AllMusic]] noted his "deeply personal melodic statements and modern instrumentation."<ref name="AM" /> ''Atlanta'' magazine said, "The guitar, when used properly, can be one of the most haunting and beautiful instruments to create sound&nbsp;... when he brushes his fingers across the strings, [he] can create some of the most incredible music. It's almost like a lullaby."<ref name="Communications2004">{{cite book|title=Atlanta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=suECAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74|access-date=24 March 2013|date=February 2004|publisher=Emmis Communications|page=74|issn=0004-6701|archive-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104155149/http://books.google.com/books?id=suECAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74|url-status=live}}</ref>

José Luis Acosta, president of the Spanish Artists and Editors Society stated that "Paco was and will be a universal artist, who took the guitar and flamenco sentiment to the heart of the whole world."<ref name="WP" /> In 2015, [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'' magazine]] named de Lucía as one of The 30 Most Influential Latin Artists of All Time, an editor writes: "The virtuoso instrumentalist popularized flamenco worldwide, and brought the Spanish sound to the forefront of avant-garde jazz.".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The 30 Most Influential Latin Artists of All Time|url=http://www.billboard.com/photos/6546212/most-influential-latin-artists|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=1 May 2015|date=28 April 2015|archive-date=30 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430232056/http://www.billboard.com/photos/6546212/most-influential-latin-artists|url-status=live}}</ref> In the same year, he was posthumously inducted into the [[Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame]] for his contributions to flamenco music.<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Inductees|url=http://www.latinsonghall.com/about-us/inductees/2015-inductees/|website=Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-date=26 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826001908/http://www.latinsonghall.com/about-us/inductees/2015-inductees/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 21 December 2016, Google commemorated the anniversary of de Lucía's birth with a [[Google Doodle]] created by Google artist [[Sophie Diao]] that was shown in Spain, Mexico, and several South American nations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paco de Lucía's 69th Birthday|url=https://doodles.google/doodle/paco-de-lucias-69th-birthday/|website=Google|access-date=21 December 2016|archive-date=21 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221173307/https://www.google.com/doodles/paco-de-lucias-69th-birthday|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another of Paco de Lucía's contributions was the inclusion of the [[cajón]], an [[Afro-Peruvian]] instrument [[Caitro Soto]] exposed to him during his visit to [[Peru]] in the late 1970s. He understood this instrument, which he saw as a permanent solution to the need for percussion in flamenco. Along with [[Rubem Dantas]], he added its percussive elements and it became an essential tool of contemporary flamenco and later, other international musical trends.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.framedrums.net/instruments/cajon-flamenco|title=Cajon-flamenco|publisher=Framedrums.net|access-date=22 April 2013|archive-date=29 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429022210/http://www.framedrums.net/instruments/cajon-flamenco/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A statue is dedicated to his memory in his native city of Algeciras, overlooking the harbour.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/query?lat=36.12856&lon=-5.44397#map=19/36.12849/-5.44364 |title=Query Features {{!}} OpenStreetMap<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=3 November 2020 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107195941/https://www.openstreetmap.org/query?lat=36.12856&lon=-5.44397#map=19/36.12849/-5.44364 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Paco de Lucía discography}}

== Filmography ==
A post-mortem documentary based on his life, titled ''[[Paco de Lucía: La búsqueda]]'', was released on 24 October 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Batlle Caminal |first=Jordi |title='Paco de Lucía :La búsqueda': Retrato del artista |date=24 October 2014 |newspaper=[[La Vanguardia]] |url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/cine/20141024/54418222723/paco-de-lucia-la-busqueda-critica-de-cine.html |language=es |access-date=19 July 2016 |archive-date=15 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815093115/http://www.lavanguardia.com/cine/20141024/54418222723/paco-de-lucia-la-busqueda-critica-de-cine.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rodríguez Marchante |first=Oti |title=Crítica de "Paco de Lucía, la búsqueda" (****): Magnífico dibujo entre dos aguas |date=24 October 2014 |newspaper=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]] |url=http://hoycinema.abc.es/critica/20141024/abci-paco-lucia-busqueda-documental-201410231353.html |language=es |access-date=19 July 2016 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144001/http://hoycinema.abc.es/critica/20141024/abci-paco-lucia-busqueda-documental-201410231353.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Notes==

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book|last1=Chapman|author-link=Richard Chapman (musician)|first1=Richard|last2=Clapton|author2-link=Eric Clapton|first2=Eric|title=Guitar: music, history, players|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hLUXAQAAIAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Pub.|isbn=978-0-7894-5963-3|page=41|access-date=9 November 2015}}
* {{cite book|last=Custodio|first=Diana Pérez|title=Paco de Lucía: La evolución del flamenco a través de sus rumbas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=le_X9hOxYkgC&pg=PA106|date=November 2005|publisher=Servicio Publicaciones UCA|isbn=978-84-96274-75-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Newman|first=Paul Jared|title=A New Anthology of Falsetas for Flamenco Guitar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWmf6nhAG5IC&pg=PA24|date=15 September 2009|publisher=Bold Strummer, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-57784-072-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Pohren|first=D. E.|author-link=Donn Pohren|title=Paco de Lucía and Family: The Master Plan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3OokB5W9seoC&pg=PA76|year=1992|publisher=Society of Spanish Studies|isbn=978-0-933224-62-9|access-date=9 November 2015}}
* {{cite Grove|first=James|last=Woodall|title=Lucía, Paco de|year=2001|id=43211}}

==Further reading==
* Mercurio, Paolo (2014). "Il Flamenco di Paco de Lucía nella Spagna moderna", in ''Amici della Musica Popolare'', {{ISBN|978-60-50342-95-6}} (ebook) {{in lang|it}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Paco de Lucía}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb name|0524834}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26351251 BBC tribute]
* [http://www.rtve.es/television/20140227/noche-tematica-rinde-homenaje-paco-lucia/887931.shtml Spanish TV tribute (La2)] {{in lang|es}}

{{Paco de Lucía}}
{{Goya Award for Best Original Score}}
{{Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Jazz|Latin music|Music|Spain}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucia, Paco de}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Spanish guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century Spanish male musicians]]
[[Category:Island Records artists]]
[[Category:Latin Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Latin jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Latin music composers]]
[[Category:Spanish male jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Andalusia]]
[[Category:New flamenco]]
[[Category:People from Algeciras]]
[[Category:Spanish classical guitarists]]
[[Category:Spanish composers]]
[[Category:Spanish jazz composers]]
[[Category:Spanish flamenco guitarists]]
[[Category:Spanish jazz guitarists]]
[[Category:Spanish male composers]]
[[Category:Spanish male guitarists]]
[[Category:Spanish people of Portuguese descent]]