Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain
About Ramón Montoya
- Ramón Montoya (November 2, 1879, Madrid, Spain – July 20, 1949, Madrid, Spain), Flamenco guitarist and composer. Born into a family of Gitano (Romani) cattle traders, Ramón Montoya used earnings from working in the trade to purchase his first guitar.
- He began playing in the cafés de cante before he was twenty years of age. He formed a partnership with the great flamenco cantaor (singer) Antonio Chacón that started in 1912 and lasted more than a decade.
- Both participated in the Concurso de Cante Jondo of 1922 held in Granada.
- These two were largely responsible for establishing the form of the various traditional flamenco cantes that are recognized today. In traditional flamenco, the guitar was relegated to a supporting role.
- Cante (singing) and baile (dance) were the main performers whom the guitarist supported.
- Montoya was one of the first to challenge this role.
- His strong playing often overpowered the singer whom he accompanied.
- He eventually took the next logical step and began to play as a solo or lead performer in a concert setting.
- His performances are widely credited by flamenco historians as establishing the flamenco guitar in this role.He was the single most influential flamenco guitarist of the 20th century.
- His innovations made possible the solo careers of such later greats as Sabicas, Manitas de Plata and Manuel Molina. He is the uncle of flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya.
- His granddaughter, Rosa Montoya, is noted for introducing flamenco dance to most of California with her studio based in San Francisco.
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