Silvio Rodríguez

Tender balladry offsets the hard-edged, politically slanted lyrics of Silvio Rodríguez. He is widely acknowledged as the spearhead of the nueva trova (new ballad) style of nueva cancion (new song). Rodríguez masterfully blends romantic tunes with protest material condemning colonization and the tyranny that swept through Latin America in the late '60s and early '70s. Inspired by French chanson, Rodríguez recorded his debut album in 1976. Although his early albums showcased his solo acoustic guitar playing and silken vocals, Rodríguez increasingly incorporated the accompanime...