Flamenco guitar master Pepe Habichuela dies at 82

Pepe Habichuela flamenco guitar Granada Madrid Spanish government tribute

Renowned flamenco guitarist Pepe Habichuela (born José Antonio Carmona Carmona in Granada, 1944) died on Tuesday in Madrid at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness that had kept him off stage since 2024. A central figure of the Habichuela dynasty, he was celebrated for modernising the genre while preserving its roots, notably through his long‑standing collaboration with Enrique Morente and performances with icons such as Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucía.

The Spanish government and local authorities issued official condolences. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X that “the guitar of Pepe Habichuela is silenced, but his music will keep resonating wherever flamenco tells who we are,” while Madrid’s culture delegate Marta Rivera de la Cruz expressed deep sorrow for the loss of a unique artist. Habichuela’s career was recognised with the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (2018) and the Gran Cruz de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio (2026).

His son, guitarist José Miguel “Josemi” Carmona, spoke at the funeral chapel, describing his father as a beloved, humorous man who “was with art until the end.” Habichuela’s body will be transferred to his native Granada for burial, concluding a six‑decade legacy that shaped contemporary flamenco.

Entities: Alfonso X the Wise · Enrique Morente · Josemi Carmona · José Miguel Carmona · Marta Rivera de la Cruz · Pedro Sánchez · Pepe Habichuela · Pepe Habichuela (José Antonio Carmona Carmona) · Pepe Habichuela (José Antonio Carmona)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] He collaborated with Camarón de la Isla, Paco de Lucía, Manolo Sanlúcar and Enrique Morente since the 1970s. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] He debuted in 1964 at the tablao Torres Bermejas in Madrid. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] He is the father of guitarist José Miguel Carmona, a member of Ketama. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Pepe Habichuela died on Tuesday at the age of 82. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Marta Rivera de la Cruz, Madrid’s culture delegate, posted condolences on X. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] He was born in Granada in 1944. (All three articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] President Pedro Sánchez posted condolences on X after his death. (All three articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] In 2024 the Council of Ministers awarded him the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise. (Only the third article)