Paco Toronjo
Full name
Place of birth
Biography
Francisco Toronjo Arreciado was born in Alonso in 1928 and died in Huelva in 1998. He was the most important performer and creator of the 'fandangos de Huelva' of all times. Not surprisingly due to his upbringing in Alonso, where turned, whilst still a child, into a great expert of its musical and folklore legacy, it was an important reason for his formation as a singer.
He became known in Huelva in 1951, competing in the prizes of Radio Nacional de España (Spanish National Radio). Forming along with his brother Pepe a duo, Los Hermanos Toronjo, who made the 'sevillanas' style of singing prominent and began to give new value to the 'fandango'. Both went to the El Guajiro festival halls in Sevilla and later to Madrid. It was in the capital where Paco earned his future as a solo singer. In 1960 he recorded his first record whilst acting in El Duende.
In total during his life he made 42 recordings, many of them accompanied by the guitar of his fellow countryman Bartolomé "el Pinche". He remade many 'fandangos de Huelva' so as to reinterpret them according to his style, something which some applauded and others criticised him. However he had such a large personality that his critics have never been able to lower his category of an artist that appears in all the catechism of flamenco song.
