José Luis Perales on Tour
This romantic, good-natured Spanish singer-songwriter has captivated audiences for over four decades. And he doesn't do it through spectacular light shows or rafts of dancers — though his sets can be breathtakingly gorgeous while the stage teems with a full band. Rather, he lives or dies on the strength of his songs. And with over 450 songs credited to his name, he has a lot of material to draw on. Beloved in Spain and across Latin America, Perales has performed throughout Latin and Central America, in addition to Europe. 2020 sees him undertake a mammoth farewell tour, Baladas Para Una Despedida ("Ballads for a Farewell") beginning at the southern end of Latin America and wrapping up in the land where it all began: Spain.
José Luis Perales in Concert
José Luis Perales never sought fame. Born to a humble family in the remote town of Castejón, Spain, Perales was the third of four siblings, and the only boy. Introverted by nature, he showed an early love for music, and was playing the lute by age 6. At 13 he went away to study electrical engineering and picked up the guitar. He composed his first song, "Niebla," at 16, and while the change wasn't instantaneous — he finished his degree and got a job in his field — that first song unleashed a torrent of others. The songs were piling up, and eventually a record label showed interest. But he had little desire to perform them himself, primarily because of the effect he feared it would have on him and his family. Other artists began recording his work, and only after his composition "Porque te vas" became a megahit in the hands of the British-Spanish singer Jeanette did he relent. His first hit as a singer was "Celos de mi guitarra." He continued to compose for other singers, however, offering tracks to notables including Isabel Pantoja, Miguel Bosé, Julio Iglesias, Paloma San Basilio and La Oreja de Van Gogh. After a nearly five-decade career, Perales maintains a home — "the refuge" — in his native town, and sculpts, gardens and writes novels when he's not releasing another thoughtful, heartfelt album.
