Simon Marquez Biography

"I am the uncle of every child in Venezuela". Simon Diaz. rom the beginning of history, music has formed an essential part of the human being. Music is linked with almost everything in the world, many people use it as remedies, it also serves to inspire others, and is also capable of transmitting messages. Many musicians and composers have contributed to the evolution of music, creation of songs, new genres, and even instruments. One of the artists who most influenced the evolution and recognition of the music of his country was Simon Diaz for Venezuelan music. The music of Venezuela is characterized by mixing Spanish, indigenous and African elements, typical of being a predominantly mestizo people. The most representative genre of the country
Since he was young he was immersed both in music and in peasant life as a child. Barbacoas was a cattle town and Simón Díaz absorbed the music and traditions of the plain there. Since he was a child he improvised songs that he heard from the artists who were in his town. His musical training originated at home, where his father taught him the basics At age 15, he starts working as a member of the local group Orquesta Siboney and soon after, he starts performing as a humorous actor. When he was 20 years old he traveled to Caracas and enrolled in the Escuela Superior de Música, where he studied for six years. He was always convinced that the tune of the Venezuelan plain is a musical air with unique characteristics, he devoted himself entirely to disseminating it, studying it and composing it until it became an authentic musical genre. “Caballo Viejo” is a popular Venezuelan song from 1980, which is the most famous song by Simón Díaz. It has been the object of valuable recognition, it was translated into twelve languages, and it has been covered by numerous artists and musical groups of international fame, and it is considered the most famous and important llanera song of Venezuela. More than 44 musical productions of Tío Simón received recognitions as Order of the Liberator in his Order of Great Cord that is the highest decoration awarded by the Venezuelan state, becoming the only national artist who has been imposed.
His work was very important in the mid-fifties, he rescued the llanera music a musical genre that was on the verge of disappearing; his songs tell stories about life in the countryside and how people live in the plains. With his lyrics, he relived the feeling of being Venezuelan, inspired half the world, to the point that his work is considered one of the most important legacies for Venezuelan music as well as for the rest of the continent. The passion of Uncle Simon led him to the stages of theater, film, and television, thus enhancing Venezuelan music and ensuring its it remains in time. Simon left more than 70 recordings, most of these recordings were digitized from the original tapes. Many famous musicians recognize the greatness of their lyrics and tones by paid tribute interpreting their songs some of the most recognized are Plácido Domingo, Julio Iglesias, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Joan Manuel Serrat, Juan Gabriel, Cheo Feliciano, and Armando