charo

<learn> charo was a ubiquitous presence on american television in the 1970s. to most americans, charo was one of the first prominent latin american women to which they were exposed. the american television viewer saw a free-spirited, flamboyant woman with a think spanish accent, unafraid to be the focus on the audiences’ laughter, whose catchphrase was <cuchi-cuchi>.

with the ubiquity of present day latin american culture and music, we may lose sight of the fact that, at the time, the latin american population in the united states was ~5% of the population (compared to ~20% present day). the population of prominent latin american actors, musicians, politicians, artists, and academics familiar to an american audience was even fewer. even fewer were women. in retrospect, we have the clarity of hindsight to recognize that charo was not only bold and brazen, but also brave.

most people only know charo for this outsized personality, but many do not realize that charo began playing classical(spanish-style) guitar at the age of nine, training under the famed guitarist andrés segovia. In 1966, she married 66-year-old bandleader xavier cugat and moved to the united states with him. in the late 1960s and 1970s, she became a ubiquitous presence on American television, frequently appearing as a guest staron series such as Laugh-In,Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

charo’s explanation of the origin of her catchphrase <cuchi cuchi> forms the basis of the song <backn4th>.

As a musician, Charo has performed and recorded in various styles for five decades. She released a series of disco recordings in the 1970s with Salsoul Records, most notablyDance a Little Bit Closer (1977). In 1995, her flamenco album Guitar Passion (1994) was awarded Female Pop Album of the Year at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference, and was named Best Female Latin Pop Album by BillboardMagazine.[2][8] In an interview, Charo has said, "Around the world I am known as a great musician. But in America, I am known as the cuchi-cuchi girl. That's okay, because cuchi-cuchi has taken me all the way to the bank."[8]

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