A song that married folk with rock and pop changed the course of Colombian music and artists and created a sense of new pride in local sounds In 1993, Carlos Vives and his band, La Provincia, released his seminal Clásicos de La Provincia [Classics From La Provincia], an album of vallenato standards that made Colombia take note of this most popular –but often snubbed—genre.
The set was a resounding success, leading many to believe Vives would come up with a part two. Instead, along with La Provincia, he dug deep.
He and his band stayed on a farm, where for weeks, they worked on a new blueprint for Colombia’s distinctive beats, one that married the most traditional of folk rhythms and genres with a contemporary edge.
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