Los Olimareños
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Active 1962
Type: Duo
Genre: Argentine folklore
Country: Argentina
Los Olimareños were a renowned Uruguayan folk duo composed of Pepe Guerra and Braulio López. Formed in 1960, the duo had a prolific and influential career spanning multiple decades, recording 44 albums across Latin America and Europe, and playing a pivotal role in the development of Uruguayan popular song with deep cultural, rural, and political roots.
Source
Los Olimareños – Wikipedia (Spanish)
Origins and Early Career
Los Olimareños were formed in 1960 in the city of Treinta y Tres, Uruguay, near the banks of the Olimar River, from which they took their name. The duo’s founding moment occurred spontaneously at a gathering on a local estancia. Initially, Guerra played guitar while López performed with the bombo legüero, later switching to guitar as well.
They began by performing regional music on local radio stations. Their first instruments — a guitar for Guerra and a bombo for López — were gifts from a supportive community committee. Their growing popularity led to their first formal engagement at a radio station in Melo, Uruguay.
In 1962, thanks to a recommendation by Oscar “Laucha” Prieto, they were introduced to Rubén Lena, a figure who would become one of their most important collaborators. Lena wrote them a letter of introduction for Radio El Espectador in Montevideo, where they began performing live on-air to great acclaim. They quickly became favorites, with notable early successes including “A Don José,” “Orejano,” and “De cojinillo.”
International Recognition
By 1964, Los Olimareños had begun performing internationally, including a major appearance at the National Grape Harvest Festival in Mendoza, Argentina, in front of 70,000 people. In 1966, they toured Chile for a television cycle, and in 1967 they launched a world tour through Central America, Czechoslovakia, France, Switzerland, and Spain.
The duo emerged as a bridge generation, linking traditional Uruguayan folk artists such as Amalia de la Vega and Los Carreteros with new voices like Daniel Viglietti, Alfredo Zitarrosa, José Carbajal, and Numa Moraes. Together, they helped shape the first wave of the Uruguayan popular song movement (canto popular uruguayo).
Musical Style and Repertoire
Their early repertoire leaned heavily on Argentine rhythms such as zambas, chacareras, and carnavalitos. Over time, their music evolved under the influence of Rubén Lena and Víctor Lima, integrating the serranera, a rhythm developed by Lena, and other elements that celebrated the rural and working-class voice.
Los Olimareños were musically eclectic. While rooted in folk, they incorporated murga, candombe, tango, and Latin American popular music, especially Venezuelan traditions. They were the first to record candombe with guitar, debuting the style in "Candombe Mulato" (1969). In 1970, they included murga drums on their LP Cielito del 69, a groundbreaking move at the time, followed by the thematic album Todos detrás de Momo. They also interpreted works by composers such as Alán Gómez, Marcos Velásquez, Pancho Viera, Aníbal Sampayo, and others.
Censorship and Exile
Following the 1973 coup in Uruguay and the onset of the civic-military dictatorship, Los Olimareños were banned from national airwaves in 1974. In 1976, Braulio López went into exile in Córdoba, Argentina, where he was arrested and imprisoned for one year due to the political nature of their music, including songs like “Cielo del 69,” “Los dos gallos,” and “Hasta siempre.” After his release, López relocated to Spain, soon joined by Pepe Guerra.
Return and Separation
The duo returned to Uruguay on 18 May 1984 after a decade of exile. They were welcomed by thousands at the Carrasco International Airport and gave an iconic performance in the Estadio Centenario before 50,000 people in the pouring rain.
In 1990, they decided to part ways and pursue individual solo careers.
Reunion and Final Performances
In 2009, Los Olimareños reunited for a concert commemorating the 25th anniversary of their return from exile. Held again at the Estadio Centenario, the performance drew 18,000 attendees and was released on CD and DVD. Due to high demand, a second concert was added. That same month, they were named Illustrious Citizens of Montevideo.
Later in 2009, they performed at the Luna Park in Buenos Aires and at the Orfeo Superdomo in Córdoba, drawing another 10,000 spectators.
In March 2010, they performed at the presidential inauguration festivities for José Mujica. In 2012, they appeared at the centennial celebration of Atlántida, and in 2019 they gave concerts at Antel Arena and during the Semana de la Cerveza in Paysandú.
Legacy
Los Olimareños are considered foundational figures in the modern history of Uruguayan popular music. Their work united rural authenticity with political consciousness and musical innovation. Through decades of political repression and exile, they remained symbols of resistance and cultural pride. Their impact continues to influence artists across Latin America.
Source
• Braulio López – singer, guitarist
• Pepe Guerra – singer, guitarist
Recordings
No recordings found for this group.