Juana Bacallao
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Juana Bacallao
| honorific_suffix =
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| native_name =
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| birth_name = Neris Amelia Martínez Salazar
| alias = Juana la cubana
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|05|26|df=y}}
| origin =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|02|24|1925|05|26|df=y}}
| death_place = Havana, Cuba
| genre = Guaracha, son cubano
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = Voice, piano, conga
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| associated_acts = Obdulio Morales, Nat King Cole, Rita Montaner, Celeste Mendoza
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Juana Bacallao (26 May 1925 – 24 February 2024), also known as Juana la cubana and Juana La Caliente, was a Cuban singer and musician.{{Cite web|title=Havana Cultura|url=https://havana-club.com/fr-be/havana-cultura|website=Havana Club|language=fr|access-date=8 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Ageless Cuban diva Juana Bacallao still saucy at 85|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2010/06/05/ageless-cuban-diva-juana-bacallao-still-saucy-at-85/|agency=Associated Press|date=5 June 2010|website=The Denver Post|language=en-US|access-date=8 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Juana Bacallao, The Black Goddess Made The Earth Shake|url=https://tradicionalesdelos50musicacubana.com/juana-bacallao-a-unique-case-of-cuban-music/|last=los 50|first=Tradicionales de|date=25 May 2016|website=Tradicionales de los 50|language=en-US|access-date=8 May 2020|archive-date=6 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206022145/https://tradicionalesdelos50musicacubana.com/juana-bacallao-a-unique-case-of-cuban-music/|url-status=usurped}}{{Cite web|title=Juana Bacallao sigue actuando pasados los 90 años|url=http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2010/06/07/juana-bacallao-sigue-actuando-pasados-los-90-anos/|date=7 June 2010|website=Cubadebate|language=es|access-date=8 May 2020}} She started her professional singing career under the aegis of Obdulio Morales, who composed the famous guaracha "Juana Bacallao", which became her stage name.
Early life
Bacallao was born Neris Amelia Martínez Salazar in the working-class neighborhood of Cayo Hueso in Havana.{{Cite web|title=Juana Bacallao llegó a Miami - Diario Dominicano|url=https://diariodominicano.com/gente/2011/12/14/98375/juana-bacallao-lleg-a-miami|website=diariodominicano.com|access-date=8 May 2020}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Orphaned at age 6, she was sent to a Catholic boarding school and subsequently worked as a house cleaner until she was discovered by Obodulio Morales, allegedly while she sang as she cleaned a house.
Career
Throughout her career she has toured around the world and performed with such artists as Nat King Cole, Bola de Nieve, Chano Pozo, Beny Moré, Rita Montaner, Los Zafiros and Celeste Mendoza.{{Cite web|title=– JUANA BACALLAO, "Juana La Cubana", actress, comedian. (VIDEO). *** JUANA BACALLAO, "Juana La Cubana", Actriz, Comediante. VIDEO. {{!}} The History, Culture and Legacy of the People of Cuba|url=https://www.thecubanhistory.com/2016/04/juana-bacallao-juana-la-cubana-actress-comedian-video-juana-bacallao-juana-la-cubana-actriz-comediante-video/|last=admin|date=27 April 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=8 May 2020}}
In 2011 Bacallao toured the United States and Puerto Rico, and appeared in several Spanish-language television stations.
Bacallao appeared in the September 2015 Cuba episode of the CNN series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.{{cite web|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1509/27/abpu.02.html|publisher=CNN|title=Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown: Cuba; Aired September 27, 2015|date=27 September 2015}}[http://www.eater.com/2015/9/27/9399323/parts-unknown-recap-anthony-bourdain-cuba-season-six-premiere Eater]
Death
Bacallao died on 24 February 2024, at the age of 98.{{cite news |title=La carismática artista cubana Juana Bacallao muere a los 98 años en La Habana |url=https://quepasamedia.com/noticias/entretenimiento/la-carismatica-artista-cubana-juana-bacallao-muere-a-los-98-anos-en-la-habana/ |access-date=24 February 2024 |publisher=Qué Pasa |date=24 February 2024}}
Awards
In 2020 Bacallao was awarded the Cuban Premio Nacional del Humor (National Humor Prize).{{Cite web|last=DDC|date=7 December 2020|title=Juana Bacallao y Arístides Hernández comparten el Premio Nacional del Humor 2020 {{!}} DIARIO DE CUBA|url=https://diariodecuba.com/cultura/1607070818_26967.html|access-date=7 January 2021|website=diariodecuba.com|language=es}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{imdb name|0045210}}
- {{discogs artist|Juana Bacallao}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugkZuyiyYd4 Juana Bacallao Interviewed on the Alexis Valdez TV show]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacallao, Juana}}
Category:20th-century Cuban women singers
Category:Musicians from Havana
Category:Cuban women composers
Category:21st-century Cuban women singers
Category:Cuban people of African descent
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