(b Pergamino, Buenos Aires province, 31 Jan 1908; d Nîmes, France, 23 May 1992). Argentine composer, poet, guitarist and singer. He and the Chilean folklorist Violeta Parra are considered the founders of the folk music and subsequent nueva canción (new song) movement in Latin America, rooted in the rediscovery of rural folk music. For more than 30 years Yupanqui travelled the entire Argentine landscape collecting popular songs, sayings and poetry which later entered into his own compositions. His goal was cantar artes olvidadas (to sing forgotten arts): by living a very humble life among his paisanos (poor people from the countryside), he experienced what they experienced. He wrote his first song, Caminito del Indio, in 1926, the beginning of a wealth of compositions today considered classics; many of them use the poetic forms and rhythms of rural Argentina, interpreted in definitive fashion by his distinctive guitar style. At different points in his life (1932, 1949, 1967) he was forced into exile because of his political activities: his songs were considered ‘protest songs’ well before the term was coined in the USA: rather than ‘protest’ they showed a committed perspective to the life and experiences of ordinary people. In 1950 he went to Europe and captivated Edith Piaf, who encouraged his concerts and success in Paris. In 1967, owing to problems with the Argentine military dictatorship, Yupanqui moved to Paris, which became his regular residence for part of each year and from whence he toured all of Europe until his death. In France he is much admired, with some of his poems and songs becoming part of the primary school curriculum. In Latin America he is considered one of the seminal folklorists and guitarists of the century: a whole generation has followed in his footsteps.
Piedra sola: poemas del cerro (Jujuy, 1941/R)
Aires indios (Montevideo, 1947/R)
Cerro Bayo: vidas y costumbres montanesas (Buenos Aires, 1953/R)
Guitarra: poemas y cantares Argentinas (Buenos Aires, 1954/R)
El canto del viento (Buenos Aires, 1965/R)
El payador perseguido (Buenos Aires, 1972/R)
La capataza (Buenos Aires, 1992)
30 ans de chansons, Le Chant du Monde LDX 274 750 (c1985)
Magia de Atahualpa Yupanqui, Toshiba EMI,
PABLO VILA