Vallenato folklore is in mourning, after the death of the fifth King of the Vallenata Legend Festival, Miguel López, at 85 years of age, early this Tuesday at the Cesar Cardiovascular Institute, after relapse with his brokenness. health that had affected him since last August due to severe bronchopneumonia.
Miguel López was the fifth king of the Vallenato Festival in 1972 with the song of Jorge Oñate, giving a true highlight to the López dynasty, which he formed with his brother the cashier Pablo; and the accordion players Poncho and Elberto.
Alvarito López, king of kings of the Vallenata Legend Festival, confirmed the death of his father, from whom he inherited his musical vocation. Both father and son recorded with Jorge Oñate.
With the Goldfinch of America, Jorge Oñate, he founded the musical group ‘Los Hermanos López’, with a great tradition of the vallenato genre. They left great classics such as: I’m not going to Patillal, Berta Caldera, Diciembre cheerful, Sinister de sheep, Rosa Jardinera, El cantor de Fonseca, El contrabandista, Palabras al viento, among others.
Miguel López was born in La Paz, Cesar, in 1938 and died on September 12, 2023, at the age of 85. Miguel López had 12 children: Álvaro, Martha, Miguel Antonio, Tania, Patricia, Gustavo, Katia, Román, Marianela, Yolima, Miguel Ángel and Adalberto. All men learned to play accordion. Román was Silvestre Dangond’s first musical partner.
His remains will be laid to rest in his homeland where he will surely receive tributes from institutions, colleagues and the Vallenata Legend Festival Foundation.
Román López, also son of the remembered accordion player, said “it is a very difficult moment. He had been suffering from decompensation and had low blood pressure. We took him to the clinic on Monday night where they revived him, but a few minutes later he had a heart attack, he couldn’t take it anymore. He was a warrior, four months ago he had been undergoing dialysis for diabetic problems. At the age of 50 he also had open heart surgery,” he said through tears.
The Vallenato king left a great legacy in Vallenato folklore. He was the father of the king of kings Álvaro López and the accordion player Román López. His musical dynasty started with his grandfather Juan Bautista “Juancito” López Molina and continued with his father Pablo Rafael López Gutiérrez.
Miguel López was the fifth king of the Vallenato Festival in 1972 with the song of Jorge Oñate, giving a true highlight to the López dynasty, which he formed with his brother the cashier Pablo; and the accordion players Poncho and Elberto.
Román López, also son of the remembered accordion player, said “it is a very difficult moment. He had been suffering from decompensation and had low blood pressure. We took him to the clinic on Monday night where they revived him, but a few minutes later he had a heart attack, he couldn’t take it anymore. He was a warrior, four months ago he had been undergoing dialysis for diabetic problems. At the age of 50 he also had open heart surgery,” he said through tears.
