Paquita la del Barrio, whose songs empowered women, dies at 77
Paquita broke through in the Mexican ranchera genre, a field typically dominated by men, demonstrated through intense songs centering on love, revenge, and nationalism. Songs like 'Rata de dos Patas,' 'Me Saludas a la Tuya,' and 'Tres Veces Te Engane' denounced male macho culture and became anthems.
Advertisement
A 1999 article in The New York Times highlighted Paquita's place in Mexico City, where she had begun her career as a local performer, describing her as 'something of a patron saint' of a place where her songs resonated.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Paquita's passing caused an outpouring of grief among celebrities and fans on social media.
Alejandro Sanz, a singer and composer, wrote in Spanish that her music was 'capable of capturing a feeling and turning it into a song' and that she is a 'part of the eternal culture.'
Thalia, a popular singer and actress, shared a scene of the pair starring on 'Maria Mercedes,' a soap opera that aired on the Mexican broadcaster Televisa in 1992. Initially, Thalia expressed nervousness about sharing a stage with Paquita.
'Paquita marked a clear and forceful path when it came to empowering women in music,' Thalia wrote in Spanish on Instagram. 'She always spoke clearly and confidently in her songs and helped thousands of women in this industry feel more open and confident when talking about their life experiences without taboos.'
Paquita was born Francisca Viveros Barradas on April 2, 1947, in the Mexican state of Veracruz.
Her life shaped her music. Paquita was a teenager when she married a man nearly 30 years older than her. The marriage produced two children, but it ended after seven years when she found out that the man was already married with a family.
Advertisement
She had three children with her second husband, Alfonso Martinez. Martinez died in 2000 after the pair were married for 31 years. Information on survivors was not immediately available.
'I got married for a second time and it was the same sacrilege and sacrifice of living with a man you know is being unfaithful,' she told USA Today in an interview conducted in Spanish in 2021. 'I've suffered a lot. It's difficult because the heart goes where it wants. Those feelings are what guide people to my music.'
Men, in her songs, became 'two-legged rats' and wastes of time. But eventually, she noticed them at her concerts as well.
'They go with their girlfriend, their wife and they love it,' Paquita said in a 2016 interview with The Associated Press.
She gained her stage name, which translates to 'Paquita from the neighborhood,' while performing in Mexico City venues with her sister, Viola Viveros. Her breakthrough came during a televised performance on Televisa, leading to a contract with CBS Records and propelling her onto the national stage.
Paquita released more than 30 albums and received three Grammy nominations. In 2021, she received a lifetime achievement award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, presented to her onstage by Bad Bunny. The award cited her 'enduring and exceptional career, encompassing artistic and personal contributions that have had a major impact on Latin music worldwide.'
In January, Paquita was scheduled to perform at a concert at Mexico City's National Auditorium, but canceled because of unspecified health issues.
This article originally appeared in
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
The world's oldest restaurant faces a challenge from another Madrid tavern that says its even older
MADRID -- In the heart of Spain's capital, Sobrino de Botín holds a coveted Guinness World Record as the world's oldest restaurant. Exactly three hundred years after it opened its doors, Botín welcomes droves of daily visitors hungry for Castilian fare with a side of history. But on the outskirts of Madrid, far from the souvenir shops and tourist sites, a rustic tavern named Casa Pedro makes a bold claim. Its owners assert the establishment endured not just the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and the Napoleonic invasion in the early 1800s, but even the War of Spanish Succession at the start of the 18th century — a lineage that would make Casa Pedro older than Botín and a strong contender for the title. 'It's really frustrating when you say, 'Yes, we've been around since 1702,' but ... you can't prove it,' said manager and eighth-generation proprietor Irene Guiñales. 'If you look at the restaurant's logo, it says 'Casa Pedro, since 1702,' so we said, 'Damn it, let's try to prove it.'' Guiñales, 51, remembers her grandfather swearing by Casa Pedro's age, but she was aware that decades-old hearsay from a proud old-timer wouldn't be enough to prove it. Her family hired a historian and has so far turned up documents dating the restaurant's operations to at least 1750. That puts them within striking distance of Botín's record. Both taverns are family-owned. Both offer Castilian classics like stewed tripe and roast suckling pig. They are decorated with charming Spanish tiles, feature ceilings with exposed wooden beams and underground wine cellars. And both enjoy a rich, star-studded history. Botín's celebrated past includes a roster of literary patrons like Truman Capote, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Graham Greene. In his book 'The Sun Also Rises,' Ernest Hemingway described it as 'one of the best restaurants in the world." While Casa Pedro may not have boasted the same artistic pedigree, it boasts its own VIPs. Its walls are adorned with decades-old photographs of former Spanish King Juan Carlos I dining in one of its many rooms. The current Spanish monarch, King Felipe VI dines there, too, albeit more inconspicuously than his father. But the similarities between the two hotspots end there. Casa Pedro was once a stop on the only road heading north from the Spanish capital toward France. Its clientele is largely local regulars, like David González and Mayte Villena, who for years have spent every Friday lunching at the tavern. 'It wouldn't change a thing for us,' Villena said about the restaurant someday securing the Guinness title. Botín, on the other hand, is a stone's throw from Madrid's famed Plaza Mayor, where any day of the week tour guides are herding groups around town — and often straight through the restaurant's front door. Antonio González, a third-generation proprietor of Botín, concedes that the Guinness accolade awarded in 1987 has helped business, but said the restaurant had enough history to draw visitors even before. 'It has a certain magic,' he said. The question then becomes: How can either restaurant definitively claim the title? Guinness provides its specific guidelines for the superlative only to applicants, according to spokesperson Kylie Galloway, noting that it entails 'substantial evidence and documentation of the restaurant's operation over the years." González said that Guinness required Botín show that it has continuously operated in the same location with the same name. The only time the restaurant closed was during the COVID-19 pandemic, as did Casa Pedro. That criteria would mean that restaurants that are even older — Paris' Le Procope, which says it was founded in 1686, or Beijing's Bianyifang, founded in 1416, or the 1673-established White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island — aren't eligible for the designation. La Campana, in Rome's historic center, claims over 500 years of operation, citing documents on its menu and in a self-published history. Its owners say they have compiled the requisite paperwork and plan to submit it to Guinness. Guiñales and her husband couldn't consult archives from the former town of Fuencarral, now a Madrid neighborhood. Those papers went up in flames during the Spanish Civil War. Instead, they delved into Spanish national archives, where they found land registries of the area from the First Marquess of Ensenada (1743-1754) that showed the existence of a tavern, wine cellar and inn in the small town as of 1750. In their spare time, the couple continues to hunt for records proving that Casa Pedro indeed dates back to 1702, as is proclaimed on its walls, takeout bags and sugar packets. But even if they dig up the final documents and wrest the Guinness honor from Botín, Guiñales concedes that her restaurant's quiet location makes it unlikely to draw Botín's clientele in central Madrid. 'To think that we could reach that public would be incredible,' Guiñales said. 'It's a dream, but it's a dream.'
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
The world's oldest restaurant faces a challenge from another Madrid tavern that says its even older
MADRID (AP) — In the heart of Spain's capital, Sobrino de Botín holds a coveted Guinness World Record as the world's oldest restaurant. Exactly three hundred years after it opened its doors, Botín welcomes droves of daily visitors hungry for Castilian fare with a side of history. But on the outskirts of Madrid, far from the souvenir shops and tourist sites, a rustic tavern named Casa Pedro makes a bold claim. Its owners assert the establishment endured not just the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and the Napoleonic invasion in the early 1800s, but even the War of Spanish Succession at the start of the 18th century — a lineage that would make Casa Pedro older than Botín and a strong contender for the title. 'It's really frustrating when you say, 'Yes, we've been around since 1702,' but ... you can't prove it,' said manager and eighth-generation proprietor Irene Guiñales. 'If you look at the restaurant's logo, it says 'Casa Pedro, since 1702,' so we said, 'Damn it, let's try to prove it.'' Guiñales, 51, remembers her grandfather swearing by Casa Pedro's age, but she was aware that decades-old hearsay from a proud old-timer wouldn't be enough to prove it. Her family hired a historian and has so far turned up documents dating the restaurant's operations to at least 1750. That puts them within striking distance of Botín's record. Clients and rivals Both taverns are family-owned. Both offer Castilian classics like stewed tripe and roast suckling pig. They are decorated with charming Spanish tiles, feature ceilings with exposed wooden beams and underground wine cellars. And both enjoy a rich, star-studded history. Botín's celebrated past includes a roster of literary patrons like Truman Capote, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Graham Greene. In his book 'The Sun Also Rises,' Ernest Hemingway described it as 'one of the best restaurants in the world." While Casa Pedro may not have boasted the same artistic pedigree, it boasts its own VIPs. Its walls are adorned with decades-old photographs of former Spanish King Juan Carlos I dining in one of its many rooms. The current Spanish monarch, King Felipe VI dines there, too, albeit more inconspicuously than his father. But the similarities between the two hotspots end there. Casa Pedro was once a stop on the only road heading north from the Spanish capital toward France. Its clientele is largely local regulars, like David González and Mayte Villena, who for years have spent every Friday lunching at the tavern. 'It wouldn't change a thing for us,' Villena said about the restaurant someday securing the Guinness title. Botín, on the other hand, is a stone's throw from Madrid's famed Plaza Mayor, where any day of the week tour guides are herding groups around town — and often straight through the restaurant's front door. Antonio González, a third-generation proprietor of Botín, concedes that the Guinness accolade awarded in 1987 has helped business, but said the restaurant had enough history to draw visitors even before. 'It has a certain magic,' he said. Pretenders to the crown The question then becomes: How can either restaurant definitively claim the title? Guinness provides its specific guidelines for the superlative only to applicants, according to spokesperson Kylie Galloway, noting that it entails 'substantial evidence and documentation of the restaurant's operation over the years." González said that Guinness required Botín show that it has continuously operated in the same location with the same name. The only time the restaurant closed was during the COVID-19 pandemic, as did Casa Pedro. That criteria would mean that restaurants that are even older — Paris' Le Procope, which says it was founded in 1686, or Beijing's Bianyifang, founded in 1416, or the 1673-established White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island — aren't eligible for the designation. La Campana, in Rome's historic center, claims over 500 years of operation, citing documents on its menu and in a self-published history. Its owners say they have compiled the requisite paperwork and plan to submit it to Guinness. A dream for Casa Pedro Guiñales and her husband couldn't consult archives from the former town of Fuencarral, now a Madrid neighborhood. Those papers went up in flames during the Spanish Civil War. Instead, they delved into Spanish national archives, where they found land registries of the area from the First Marquess of Ensenada (1743-1754) that showed the existence of a tavern, wine cellar and inn in the small town as of 1750. In their spare time, the couple continues to hunt for records proving that Casa Pedro indeed dates back to 1702, as is proclaimed on its walls, takeout bags and sugar packets. But even if they dig up the final documents and wrest the Guinness honor from Botín, Guiñales concedes that her restaurant's quiet location makes it unlikely to draw Botín's clientele in central Madrid. 'To think that we could reach that public would be incredible,' Guiñales said. 'It's a dream, but it's a dream.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Where to Dine for Father's Day in Los Angeles
Where to Dine for Father's Day in Los Angeles originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Whether Dad is an expert foodie or just simply loves a hearty meal, Los Angeles restaurants satisfy his big day with flavorsome brunches, lunches and dinners. Read on for where to dine on Father's Day in Los Angeles. A.O.C. A.O.C.'s Third Street and Brentwood locations specialize Father's Day brunch with savory delights, like Spanish fried chicken and a cornmeal waffle; a scrambled egg focaccia sandwich and Le A.O.C. Burger with gruyere cheese. Later, dinner dazzles with summer creations, including grilled lamb chops with artichoke salsa and grilled salmon with carrot puree. American Beauty The Grove location of the Venice steakhouse teams up with Flannery Beef for lunch and dinner specials available on both June 15 and 16. Ideally paired with an American Beauty Martini or Boulevardier, the warm Flannery Prime Rib Dip sandwich lunch pairs warm roast beef with horseradish, smoky potatoes and jus, while the 16-ounce Flannery prime rib dinner tantalizes with jus, horseradish crème fraiche and crispy gremolata. The Beverly Hilton At its rooftop restaurant, Circa 55, The Beverly Hilton promises brunch extravagance. Alongside entrees like steak and eggs and a Dungeness crab omelet, diners can enjoy two hours of free-flowing cocktails (bloody mars, mimosas, old fashioneds, etc.). From noon to 11 p.m., the Downtown Los Angeles Proper Hotel entices with one-day-only specials at its rooftop restaurant Cara Cara. You won't want to miss the limited edition Black + Blue Burger loaded with wagyu bacon and blue cheese, which is best washed down with the Black & Blue cocktail made with Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky. JarIn addition to its a la carte menu, Jar welcomes the whole family to the table with Suzanne Tracht's fried chicken dinner: a family-style experience featuring fried chicken, slaw, mashed potatoes, gravy, smoked long-cooked Tuscan kale, house-made biscuit and Dahlia's Cobbler Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Fried chicken dinners must be preordered. Santa Monica Proper Hotel From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Calabra on the Santa Monica Proper Hotel rooftop teams coastal views with Mediterranean-inspired plates like scallop crudo, lobster Louie salad and challah French toast. Meanwhile, downstairs lounge Palma serves decadent brunch dishes from noon to 4 p.m. Superba Food + Bread In Venice, Hollywood and Calabasas, this all-day café corrals families around a dedicated card-making table (plus, donuts!) ahead of enjoying a meal. Complete the dining experience with Superba's brunch specials, which span from a cheddar-crusted breakfast burrito to a double cheeseburger. 33 Taps If Dad is a beer guy, 33 Taps has you covered. All four locations will have a $15 burger and pint special all day long. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
