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Gipsy Kings

Hailing from two well-known Gitano musical families, Reyes and Baliardo, the Gipsy Kings first achieved international acclaim in 1988 with a self-titled album and the hit song “Bamboleo.” Numerous hits have followed, including adaptations of such popular songs as “My Way” (A Mi Manera) (1988) and “Hotel California” (1999). Flamenco traditionalists often dismiss their music, and the Gipsy Kings themselves acknowledge that the majority of their recordings, described alternatively as rumba flamenco or rumba catalana, are not “pure” flamenco. Rather, their style follows in the musical sense of many generations of gypsy musicians before them, adapting their skills to the local tastes of their audience.