Departures of note

Delfín Amaya was a Spanish singer and guitarist of Romani heritage, born in Oviedo in 1952. Alongside his brother José, he formed the duo Los Amaya in Barcelona in the late 1960s, becoming one of the principal exponents of rumba catalana. The brothers came from a gypsy family in the El Raval district and were relatives of the celebrated flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya, learning guitar and song at family gatherings from childhood.

Los Amaya debuted discographically in 1969 and rose to fame in 1971 with their version of the Latin American classic "Caramelos," which became a major hit. In 1978 they began a fruitful collaboration with producer Tony Ronald, entering their golden era with RCA and recording successes such as "La inyección," "Vete," "Amor amor," and "Decirle a ella que vuelva." They are credited with introducing the electric guitar into flamenco rumba and are ranked alongside figures such as El Pescaílla, Peret, Chacho, and Gato Pérez.

The duo enjoyed a resurgence of popularity with an appearance at the closing ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and continued recording for several decades, releasing albums such as Únicos and En directo. Delfín Amaya died in 2026.