El Chaqueta
Full name
Date of birth
Place of birth
Biography
Antonio Fernández de los Santos was born in La Línea de la Concepción on 10 May 1918. He was the son of Mono de Málaga and Tomasa de los Santos, from Jerez. This family atmosphere that was closely linked to flamenco was what led him to opt for this art. Furthermore, his father took him to Seville, where El Chaqueta met Tomás Pavón, el Mojama or la Moreno. He completed his first recordings in 1950 for Columbia, singing bulería songs and boleros that were in fashion at the time. This saw him gain popularity and in 1954 Perico el del Lunar called to ask him to participate in the Antología de Hispavox. In the 1950s he also worked on three films as mentor of the child prodigy at the time, Joselito. He died in Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid on 15 May 1980.
His admirers and followers included Camarón, Pansequito del Puerto, Martín Revuelo and his wife, the Triana-born flamenco singer Juana la del Revuelo, Aurora Vargas, Mariana Cornejo and, of course, Chano Lobato, who was most familiar with his singing.
Discography
The discography of this flamenco singer is scarce. Eleven songs comprise the small legacy of this great artist:
1951 - With the company Columbia he recorded three vinyl albums accompanied on guitar by Paco Aguilera including: three bulerías ("Mira que eres linda", "Tus ojos negros" and "María Dolores"), one short bulería ("A Dios le pido un favor"), some tangoes ("Sentaíto en la escalera") and some cantiñas with romeras ("Por tu puerta y no me hables").
1954 - With Ducretet-Thomson he edited the first "Antología de Flamenco", under the Hispavox brand in Spain. El Chaqueta, with the guitar of Perico el del Lunar, recorded two superb songs: romeras and cabales.
1973 – Finally, with RCA and accompanied on guitar by Antonio Arenas, El Chaqueta recorded two bulerías and some cantiñas.
