A tribute to the legendary Chilean singer, composer, and poet Violeta Parra, who wrote the epic anthem for life Gracias a la vida (I Praise Life…).
She was born on this day, October 4, 1917, in the poor village of San Carlos, Chile. One of nine children, she had a difficult childhood, with a guitar and a notebook as her faithful companions. She would travel from village to village with some of her siblings, playing music and learning the traditional culture of each place.
From a young age, she joined the Communist Party of Chile and fought against dictators and their foreign backers…
She passed away in 1967, disillusioned by the loss of the great love of her life, at the age of 50. For love and her adoration of life, she gifted us her music, which has been passionately embraced throughout troubled Latin America and across the world.