Legendary Spanish singer and songwriter Camilo Sesto has died. He was 72 years old.
The longtime performer passed away early Sunday morning at Hospital Universitario Quirónsalud in Madrid, according to his manager Eduardo Guervós. The singer’s passing was first reported by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE.
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The septuagenarian, who was born in the small Spanish town of Camilo Blanes Cortés, had been having health problems after serious kidney issues about a year ago. According to reports from the European nation, he suffered two heart attacks in succession recently, greatly contributing to his death.
A message on Sesto’s official Twitter account later confirmed his passing to the world, too, with someone managing the account writing in Spanish (translated, below):
“Dear friends We are very sorry to inform you that our great and dear artist Camilo Sesto has just left us. Rest in peace.”
Queridos amigos & amigas
Lamentamos mucho comunicaros que nuestro gran y querido artista Camilo Sesto nos acaba de dejar.
Descanse en paz— Camilo Sesto (@CamiloSesto) September 8, 2019
So sad…
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Sesto’s death is big news in Spain — so much so that when word reached the top levels of the country’s government, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was compelled to tweet his own, personal condolences mourning the loss of the singer, as well (below):
Con su voz genuina, como intérprete y compositor, consiguió ser uno de los artistas más queridos y universales. España y toda Iberoamérica lamentan la pérdida de Camilo Sesto.
Mi abrazo a su familia y al mundo de la música. Sus melodías serán siempre parte de nuestra memoria. pic.twitter.com/mqY0OEJHR6
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) September 8, 2019
In translation, Sánchez’s statement reads (below):
“With his genuine voice, as an interpreter and composer, he managed to be one of the most beloved and universal artists. Spain and all of Latin America lament the loss of Camilo Sesto. My hug to his family and the world of music. Your melodies will always be part of our memory.”
Very powerful.
All this fanfare makes sense for the Spanish singer, who first rose to popularity in the Latin pop world of the 1970s and 1980s. He was popular with Spanish-speaking audiences around the world and outside of Europe, as well; in fact, he had been scheduled to tour the United States this fall, with six October shows scheduled from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles.
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And the American tour wasn’t just a one-off; Sesto recorded music for decades, and was still very active in the industry. So active, in fact, that he has a new album set for release this coming Friday, according to Billboard.
Clearly, judging by his resumé, his tour dates, and that album release schedule, Sesto was doing what he loved right up until he died. We should all be so lucky!
Our thoughts and condolences are with Sesto’s friends, family, and loved ones — and with the people of Spain as they mourn the loss of a national icon.
R.I.P.
[Image via WENN]
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