Nearly a half century has passed since a young singer from Puente Genil (Córdoba) burst upon the flamenco scene after having won all the most important prizes at the first Concurso Nacional de Cante Jondo in Córdoba in 1956.
Antonio
Fernández Díaz hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped
since, managing to forge a magnificent career that includes the Premio
Nacional del Cante from the Cátedra de Flamencología de
Jerez in 1968, the Compás del Cante in 1985 and the Premio Pastora
Pavón in 1999, among many other distinctions. His voice was one
of the most important and ubiquitous during the height of the cante festival
era, and among his many recordings the Selección Antológica
del Cante Flamenco with Paco de Lucía, and one of the best records
of flamenco dance ever recorded, with Manuela Vargas, are noteworthy.
After an initiative put forth by the Diputación Provincial de
Málaga, joined later by the governments of Córdoba, Jaén
and Sevilla, the Llave de Oro del Cante has been formally requested of
the Junta de Andalucía. It is expected that Granada, Almería
and Huelva with join the petition shortly. The prestigious prize has been
awarded on four occasions in the last hundred and twenty years with a
long lapse between the first and second, to Tomás el Nitri (1868?),
Manuel Vallejo (1926), Antonio Mairena (1962) and Camarón de la
Isla (2000). Federations of flamenco clubs (peñas) and luminaries
from the world of arts and letters have come out in support of the initiative,
and spokesmen for the Consejería de Cultura have indicated a favourable
disposition towards the proposal.
The singer, who also plays guitar and has been living in Málaga
for many years, continues to be active offering conferences and master
classes. His long and distinguished career, his boundless love for flamenco
and dedication to the art, his knowledge and dignity are qualities that
lend credibility to the candidacy. Should the award be conceded, the official
presentation of the Llave del Cante will take place within the scheduled
activities of the first “Málaga en Flamenco” festival
to be celebrated in Málaga between September and December of 2005.
