Andalusian rock pioneer, singer-songwriter and flamenco guitarist, Spain (21 July, 1948 - 19 May, 2015).
Manuel Molina Jiménez was born in Ceuta (Spain) in 1948. He was a flamenco guitarist, like his father, Manolo Molina, El Encajero. Manuel joined the seminal rock band Smash in 1971. This Seville-based group was one of the first rock bands in southern Spain. Smash played a mix of blues-rock, progressive rock and psychedelia. They led the way to the celebrated Andalusian rock of the 1970s that fused flamenco and rock. With Smash, Manuel Molina recorded ‘We come to smash this time’ (Polygram Ibérica, 1971).
In 1972, Manuel and his wife, Dolores Montoya Rodriguez, better known as Lole, formed a duo called Lole y Manuel. They pioneered the nuevo flamencos sound by developing a style that appealed to non-flamenco fans.
He is one of the forefathers of Nuevo Flamenco (New Flamenco) with El Camarón De La Isla.
Manuel Molina and Lole’s daughter, Alba Molina, continues the family tradition. She’s a model and flamenco, jazz and blues singer.