Lucha Villa
Encyclopedia
Lucha Villa is a singer in the ranchera
style, and a film actress.
Born Luz Elena Ruíz Bejarano, Villa was given her stage name by television producer Luis G Dillon (Lucha is a common nickname for Luz Elena, and Villa in honor of Pancho Villa
). She has been a constant presence in popular music and film since the 1950s. Her early hits included the José Alfredo Jiménez
composition, "Media Vuelta", as well as "La Cruz del Cielo" and "Viva Quien Quiere Saber"
She appeared in several films during the 1950s and early 1960s, received her first starring role in El Gallo de Oro (1965), and starred in Me Canse de Rogarle, a musical with Jiménez and recording star Marco Antonio Muñiz
. She has appeared in some fifty films and won an Ariel Award for Best Actress (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar) for Mechanica Nacional (1973).
In 1996, she, along with Lola Beltrán
and Amalia Mendoza
, was the subject of a tribute cd titled, Disco del Siglo: Las Tres Señoras by Juan Gabriel
, acknowledging their lasting contributions to music lovers throughout Mexico and Latin America. She fell into a coma because of complications during surgery in August, 1997, but recovered after a long stay in hospital and has appeared in concert and on television sporadically since then.
Ranchera
Ranchera is a genre of the traditional music of Mexico originally sung by only one performer with a guitar. It dates to the years of the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century. It later became closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved in Jalisco. Ranchera today is also played...
style, and a film actress.
Born Luz Elena Ruíz Bejarano, Villa was given her stage name by television producer Luis G Dillon (Lucha is a common nickname for Luz Elena, and Villa in honor of Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
). She has been a constant presence in popular music and film since the 1950s. Her early hits included the José Alfredo Jiménez
José Alfredo Jiménez
José Alfredo Jiménez was a Mexican singer-songwriter in the ranchera style whose songs are considered an integral part of Mexico's musical heritage....
composition, "Media Vuelta", as well as "La Cruz del Cielo" and "Viva Quien Quiere Saber"
She appeared in several films during the 1950s and early 1960s, received her first starring role in El Gallo de Oro (1965), and starred in Me Canse de Rogarle, a musical with Jiménez and recording star Marco Antonio Muñiz
Marco Antonio Muñiz
Marco Antonio Muñiz is a singer from Jalisco, Mexico. Known all over Latin America, Muñiz actually has declared publicly and in most countries he has visited, that Puerto Rico is his second country, and many Puerto Ricans consider him to be an "honorary Puerto Rican"...
. She has appeared in some fifty films and won an Ariel Award for Best Actress (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar) for Mechanica Nacional (1973).
In 1996, she, along with Lola Beltrán
Lola Beltrán
Lola Beltrán was a Mexican film actress and one of the most acclaimed Mexican ranchera singers, nicknamed Lola la Grande .-Biography:...
and Amalia Mendoza
Amalia Mendoza
Amalia Mendoza was one of Mexico's most famous ranchera singers whose career lasted over 40 years. Distinguished for her special "husky" voice, Mendoza was one of the "Tres Señoras", along with Lola Beltrán and Lucha Villa.She was also known by the nickname of La Tariácuri...
, was the subject of a tribute cd titled, Disco del Siglo: Las Tres Señoras by Juan Gabriel
Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez , better known by his stage name Juan Gabriel , is a Mexican singer and songwriter who is one of the most famous living representatives of the Mexican ranchera, ballad, mariachi, and pop music....
, acknowledging their lasting contributions to music lovers throughout Mexico and Latin America. She fell into a coma because of complications during surgery in August, 1997, but recovered after a long stay in hospital and has appeared in concert and on television sporadically since then.