Paco Feria: Canarian Music Icon Decries "Shouting Competition" in Song

It's widely agreed that Paco Feria (born in La Laguna in 1951) is one of the finest voices in Canarian folklore, island lyrical music, and South American song. A Telecommunications Technical Engineer, he also spent six years studying at the Madrid Superior School of Singing. After years as an artist and student in Madrid, he decided to return to the Canary Islands, leaving behind lyrical singing and opera. He secured a teaching position in Image and Sound, a role he held for thirty years in schools across Tenerife. During this time, he performed as a soloist with various groups and also gave solo concerts.

He was part of Los Sabandeños during their second phase, joining after members like Julio Fajardo and Falo Perera had left. He observes that some singers today seem to "fight" with a song rather than simply sing it. He is known for being a warm and welcoming person. Benito Cabrera, then director of Los Sabandeños, asked him to rejoin the group, but Paco had other commitments and declined. His great-grandfather composed the Christmas carol "Lo Divino," and Paco recently treated us to a short recital of it at Los Limoneros.

-Why did you leave Los Sabandeños? What's the story? "In the early 1970s, Elfidio Alonso, who directed Los Sabandeños at the time, heard my brother Manuel and me singing South American songs, particularly Argentine ones. He invited us to join the group. Five years later, I and some other members were unhappy with the group's direction. Elfidio took advantage of this and asked me to leave."

-Is there currently a passion for Canarian folklore? Does it have quality? "A passion for folklore is essential because it represents the musical voice of the people, and everyone connects with it differently. However, if you're performing on stage or television, quality becomes very important. I think it's disrespectful to the audience when a performance clearly lacks rehearsal and artistic quality, both vocally and instrumentally. Anything might be acceptable at a local festival (romería), but not on a professional stage."

-Was Dacio the best? "Singers come in all styles and voice types, from high to low. Someone with a higher voice isn't necessarily better than someone with a lower one. Dacio sang in a medium range; he was a baritone."

-Where was his best characteristic? "In my opinion, Dacio Ferrera (1938-2007) stood out in many ways. He always prioritized a beautiful sound, something often overlooked today. I never heard him hold a high note longer than the song's lyrics and melody required. This makes me believe he was the best, not only for his beautiful voice and great singing intuition but also because he created a unique style that few can replicate."

-Listen, Paco, what you're saying about people who, instead of singing a song, fight with it, are you serious? "Yes, I'm serious. That's the impression some singers give me with their abrupt gestures and voices. They push the song to the very limit of their voice, where the sound loses its clarity and is about to crack. It makes me wonder if I'm supposed to suffer while listening to them."

-Was there a before and after in Canarian song with the emergence of Los Sabandeños? "I don't have much information about the 'before,' just a few old recordings. But I certainly experienced the 'after.' I saw the public's reaction, their success, how everyone imitated them, and how Canarian folklore gained recognition across the country and internationally. So yes, I can tell you there was definitely a 'before and after' Los Sabandeños."

-In the introduction to the interview, I mentioned that Benito Cabrera asked you to come back. "That's right. The group had an imbalance between high and low voices. Benito Cabrera, who was directing at the time, knew I had a deep voice and called me. I asked if Elfidio was aware, and Benito confirmed he agreed I should strengthen the bass section. However, I felt it wasn't the right time in my life to rejoin a choir. Of course, I thanked him for thinking of me."

(We discussed his teaching career. After specializing in Image and Sound during his Telecommunications studies, he saw a teaching position advertised in that field when he arrived in Tenerife. He applied and taught for several years before becoming a tenured professor, a role he held for thirty years. He told me, "After all those years, what's most rewarding is the warmth with which my former students greet me whenever we meet.")

-Do you notice a kind of competition when some singers perform, to see who can shout the loudest? "I believe society has reached a point where spectacle, almost like a circus act, is prioritized in singing. If that's what the public demands, then that's what they get, and the art of singing gets forgotten."

-That's why I say it seems like a shouting competition. "Exactly. If one singer pushes their vocal range to the limit, holding a high note that's a bit distorted and poorly placed, and then the next singer tries to go even higher, and the one after that tries to go higher still – even if it means changing the melody – it certainly seems like a competition to hit the highest note, rather than to sing better."

-How was your time with Los Sabandeños? "It was wonderful. I joined when I was 20, became a soloist on several songs, and recorded four albums. I sang 'La Muralla' with Dacio, performed 'El Minuto Palmero sube a La Palma,' and sang Falú's 'Pídele al viento firmeza,' among others."

-I can imagine the anecdotes from those years. "The best part of that time was performing alongside incredible singers and musicians. No one used sheet music, which gave the group a wonderful sense of freshness and spontaneity. It felt much more natural. I've sung both with and without sheet music, and the difference is huge. Sheet music should really only be for learning. My years with Los Sabandeños also helped me prepare for facing audiences alone during my many nights performing in Madrid."

-You all were tireless. "I'd like to tell you how we managed to record two full albums, about 22 songs, in just eight days – something that takes months today. Most of our stories are about pranks. I recall a funny one: they played a trick on me, so in return, I put fiberglass in the collar of the prankster's performance shirt. It was quite a sight to see him sing, constantly stretching his neck!"

-Good times, right? "Once, while singing the Credo from the Misa Sabandeña, we were halfway through when the soloist changed the key. Half the group continued in the original key, while the other half tried to find the new one. That incident provided us with jokes for years."

-Your talent runs in the family. Your great-grandfather Cedrés composed, among other unforgettable melodies, "Lo Divino." Your father sang zarzuela. Is all this inherited? "Yes, it's definitely inherited. My father always sang at home, so it was natural for all of us to be singing constantly. We also inherited our physical build and vocal cords; since my father had a powerful bass voice, we all ended up with deep voices. For my part, I had been singing for many years before spending six years studying at the Superior School of Singing in Madrid. There, I worked extensively on my voice, training it, especially for lyrical singing. It's crucial to take care of your vocal cords. I don't smoke and drink very little alcohol. You need to rest your voice a lot and treat it well if you want to sing decently throughout your life. And, of course, light a candle and hope for good luck!"

-Tell me about your great-grandfather, Fermín Cedrés, who has a statue in La Laguna. "He composed 'Lo Divino.' I sang it from a young age at home, at school, and later with Los Sabandeños. I believe I've performed different versions throughout my career. I remember my grandmother, his daughter, playing it on the piano 60 years ago. This past Christmas, we recorded a new video of it to share with friends, and I had the privilege of being accompanied by Domingo el Colorado and Juan Carlos el Palmero."

-In a new version. "The version I created reflects how I felt the lyrics should be emphasized for better understanding. I sang it in a deep but comfortable tone, without straining, directly from the throat. This approach felt most appropriate for a Christmas carol, which we always perform as a family."

-Tell me about your father, who besides singing well was an athlete, just like you, who has cycled up to Las Cañadas many times. "In 1972, my brother Manuel and I were invited to sing 'Lo Divino' on Tenderete in Las Palmas. I was at home with my guitar, feeling that just the two of us would sound 'cold' and that we should give up. Then my father picked up the guitar, strummed a couple of chords, and convinced us that you absolutely can sing beautifully with just a guitar. My father had one of the biggest and most beautiful voices I've ever heard. He could fill the low notes and effortlessly hit high notes without changing his voice's rich timbre and color. He could have pursued a singing career, but managing a factory and raising seven children kept him from it."

-You excel at South American songs, Paco. "In 1967, some Argentine folklore records (by groups like Fronterizos and Chalchaleros) arrived at my house. Their style of singing immediately captivated us; it was a completely different way of interpreting songs than what we were used to – with unique vocal performances, rhythms, and distinct melodies. We quickly began learning and singing them repeatedly, becoming almost experts in Argentine folklore. This expertise led to many performance opportunities in Madrid. I lived the bohemian life of singers there who, like me, earned a living night after night, though I didn't go out much because I had university classes the next day."

(Two years after moving to Madrid, Paco married Marian, a charming woman who is still his wife today. She returned with Paco to the Spanish capital, where she became a doctor and he completed his telecommunications engineering degree. Later, they moved back to Tenerife, and Paco set aside lyrical singing and opera, despite having even performed with Alfredo Kraus and Pedro La Virgen. Together, Paco and Marian raised their two wonderful children, Elena and José, completing their family. Paco adds, "I don't know if returning was the right decision, but it's what we agreed on." He also notes, "Aside from my cycling, which makes her very nervous, Marian has supported me through everything in this wonderful adventure of life.")

-And you're still singing. "Yes, I am. Once, I met a man in a bar who told me he thought I was dead because he hadn't heard me sing in so long. I quickly proved him wrong! Then, a friend, Cristina Calvo, suggested we do a concert, and we haven't stopped singing since."

-That's wonderful.