Carmen Linares

Carmen Linares is the stage name of Carmen Pacheco Rodríguez. Flamenco singer, born in 1951 in Linares, Jaén (Andalusia).

Daughter of Antonio Pacheco (amateur flamenco guitar player). Married with flamenco journalist Miguel Espín and mother of Eduardo Espín Pacheco.
She is the only flamenco artist who has won Latin Grammy Achievement Award 2023 joinig as selected group of artist as Ana Torroja,
Miguel Ríos, Mercedes Sosa, Joaquín Sabina, Chavela Vargas, Toquinho, Joan Baez y Ana Belén

She is known as one of the finest flamenco singers in Spain. She belongs to the same generation of artists like Enrique Morente, Camaron, Paco de Lucía, Pepe Habichuela, Manolo Sanlúcar, José Mercé and Tomatito and she is considered as flamenco live legend. She is recognized as flamenco lead vocal reference for young artist generation like Estrella Morente, Miguel Poveda, Pitingo, Arcangel, Marina Heredia and Rocio Marquez.

In the 70s and 80s she worked in Madrid alongside artists such as Enrique Morente, Camarón, Carmen Mora, and the brothers Juan and Pepe Habichuela. In 1988 Carmen Linares was the chosen voice to re-open Manuel de Falla’s original version of “El Amor Brujo” in the open of Seville Flamenco Biennial. She’s been one of the first Flamenco artists who, invited by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, acted in the Lincoln Center. The New York Times described her as “a singer with incredible expressive power”. She has singed along 30 years with important conductors like Frühbech de Burgos, Josep Pons and Leo Brower.

Her first album was released in 1971 with Juan Habichuela by Hispavox, we had to wait 13 years for her second album "Su Cante" (Hispavox, 1984) with Pepe and Luis Habichuela, later albums were "Cantaora" (Dio, 1988) and "La Luna en el río" (Auvidis, 1991) both with Paco Cortes and Pedro Sierra which won the French Academy Best Album. After these records Carmen Linares recorded an extraordinary homage to universal poet Federico García Lorca. "Canciones Populares de Lorca" (Auvidis, 1993) was a great successful album which she sang lyrics of Federico García Lorca accompanied with sextet ensemble. Carmen Linares went on tour to great stages in Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York an Rome over 15 years.

"Antologia de la Mujer en el Cante" (Anthology of the woman in flamenco singing, Universal 1996), is a key part of flamenco discography, was recorded with the guitars by Tomatito, Vicente Amigo, Moraito, Pepe Habichuela, Rafael Riqueni, etc. This album is selected by flamenco journalist as one of the top ten flamenco album in history.

In 2000 the composer and guitarist Manolo Sanlúcar choose her to sing in his discographical project "Locura de Brisa y Trino" (Madness of Breeze and Trill), to recover poems by Federico Garcia Lorca harmonised for modern guitar composition. In 2002 Carmen recorded "Un Ramito de Locura" (A Branch of Madness) with the great guitarist Gerardo Nuñez, which was nominated for Best Flamenco Album in the Premios de la Musica and the Latin Grammys 2003.

She created her own record label Salobre in 2007. In 2008 has released great albums like "Raíces y Alas" (Salobre) an homage to Juan Ramón Jiménez with music arrangements by Juan Carlos Romero and live album "Remembranzas" (Salobre, 2011) recorded at Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville with special guest like Miguel Poveda, Juan Carlos Romero, Miguel Angel Cortes and Javier Barón. From 2012 to 2017 She also was on tour with scenic projects as "Ensayo Flamenco", “Cu4tro", "Oasis Abierto" and "Encuentro" and "Tempo de Luz" with artists like Jorge Pardo, Belen Maya, Carlos Benavent, Tomasito, Tino Di Geraldo, Cañizares performing in Parco della Musica in Rome, Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla, Cite de la Musique in Paris, etc. In 2017 she release her new album "Verso a Verso homage to Miguel Hernández" and she won Best Flamenco Album MIN Awards.

In 2018 she was on tour with the show "Tempo de Luz" with singers Arcangel and Marina Heredia in Carnegie Hall in New York, Sadler`s Wells in London, Wilshire Elbell in Los Angeles, Teatro Grec in Barcelona, Miami Adrienne and Teatro del Canal in Madrid, etc. In 2019 she is also on tour with "El Amor Brujo" with symphonic orchestra and with her last album "Verso a Verso" (Salobre, 2018) accompanied by a piano, guitar, double bass, and drums.

In this season 2021/2022 she launches “Cantaora: 40 years of Flamenco”. The most important singer of the current flamenco presents a unique show with the most significant songs of her artistic life. This shows has an extraordinary setlist with antologic women styles, Federico García Lorca lyrics, tribute to Paco de Lucía and Enrique Morente and guest artists in every shows as Estrella Morente, Luz Casal, Miguel Poveda, Arcángel and Silvia Pérez Cruz. Carmen’s voice seeks out intimacy to convey her flamenco expression in this selection of unique songs.

She is the only flamenco woman artist who has won the National Music Award by Ministry of Culture of Spain in 2001 and Princess of Asturias Award in the category Arts 2022 joining into a select winners as Bob Dylan, Meryl Streep, Paco de Lucía, Woody Allen and Pedro Almodovar.