Granada has lost another important figure in the guitar world: Juan Román Padilla. October 18th of this year was the last day in the life of the dean of the Granada guitar-makers. Among the most interesting episodes in his life are a series of visits to Marcelo Barbero who was a friend of his father’s, selling guitars to japanese and german dealers and ordering guitars from the struggling duo of Antonio Marín and Manuel Bellido. His father was a well-known flamenco guitarist whose stage name was Juanico de Chauchina and inspired him to begin making guitars. Like so many other makers of his generation he began his working life as a cabinet-maker or “ebanista” as the Spanish have it. His first guitar was made in 1949 during the dominance of Eduardo Ferrer and Manuel de la Chica in the Granada guitar. The Asociación de Guitarreros de Granada thanks him for his work in spreading the influence of Granada and preparing the groundwork for the thriving school we have here today.

John Ray

Ray, John (ed.): La escuela granadina de guitarreros, Granada: Diputación Provincial de Granada, 2014.