Legendary Venezuelan singer-songwriter, activist and poet Ali Primera died Feb. 16, 1985.
Since he rose to fame in the late 1960s, Ali Primera's folk songs of oppression, tough times and liberation have resonated not only among Venezuelans, but throughout the Spanish speaking world. Primera sang in plain language about issues ranging from U.S. imperialism to land ownership to worker exploitation READ MORE
Updated: This gallery was originally published Feb. 16, 2015.
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Ely Rafael Primera Rosell was born Aug. 31, 1941, in Falcon, Coro state in the north east of Venezuela. This plaque to him reads: "This house vibrated with the first songs of the boy born in the Oscar Chapman Maternity hospital, Oct. 31, 1941, and who, with the name Ali Primera, built a sense of belonging for Latin America's poor."teleSUR archive
"The People Emit a Single Cry to Say Goodbye to Ali Primera," read one headline on the day he died.teleSUR archive
Primera studied at Venezuela's Central University, where he took his first steps to becoming a singer.teleSUR archive
Primera quit his studies to dedicate himself to the revolutionary struggle.teleSUR archive
Primera's songs about the suffering of the poor quickly gained him the affection of the public.teleSUR archive
Primera had two daughers, Maria Fernanda and Maria Angela, whose Swedish mother he met while living in Germany.teleSUR archive
In 1977 Primera met Sol Musset, to whom he was married until he died.teleSUR archive
Primera and Mussett had four children.teleSUR archive
Primera's sons, Sandino, Servando, Florentino and Juan Simon, followed in their father's musical footsteps.teleSUR archive
Primera used his music to show the government the reality of how people were living due to its bad policies.teleSUR archive
By 1973 Primera was already considered one of the most famous singers in Venezuela and Latin America.teleSUR archive
Primera cut 13 LPs and participated in numerous Latin American festivals.teleSUR archive
Ali Primera sang at universities and other places other artists would not have deigned to play.teleSUR archive
Primera never aimed to make money from his music; he only asked to be fed at concert venues.teleSUR archive
People filled the streets on the day of his funeral.teleSUR archive
Even today there is controversy over whether Primera's death was accidental or murder. The singer was targetted due to his left-wing politics and song themes.teleSUR archive
In 2005 the government declared Primera's music part of the country's heritage.teleSUR archive
Modern artists recorded a tribute record called "Ali Primera: The Much-Needed Song" ("Ali Primera: La Cancion Necesaria.")teleSUR archive