Leonor Gonzalez Mina
| Leonor González Mina | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 16, 1934 (age 82) Jamundí, Valle del Cauca, Colombia |
| Nationality |
 Colombia Colombian |
| Other names | "La Negra grande de Colombia". |
| Occupation | Composer and Singer |
| Spouse(s) | Esteban Cabezas Rher |
Leonor Gonzalez Mina (born June 16, 1934 in Jamundí, Valle del Cauca)[1] is a prominent Afro-Colombian musician and actress, known as "la Negra Grande de Colombia" ("The Great Black Woman of Colombia"). She is known for her work in several genres of Colombian music, including bolero, pasillo, bambuco, and especially cumbia. She is known for songs such as "Mi Buenaventura", "Navidad Negra", and "Yo Me Llamo Cumbia".
Biography
The musical career of Leonor Gonzalez Mina began when she was 18 years old, when she decided to leave her home. After six months, she participated as a dancer in a ballet by Delia Zapata Olivella and her brother Manuel, acting before an audience in Paris. With this dance company she travelled internationally to countries including China, Germany, and the Soviet Union. When she returned to Colombia, she produced her first record, titled "Cantos de mi tierra y de mi raza".[2] She has recorded more than 30 records during her lifetime.
Leonor Gonzalez Mina also acted in a Colombian television series,[3] and participated in the congressional elections of 1998, when she was elected as a cameral representative for Bogotá with the Colombian Liberal Party.
Gonzalez Mina is considered among the most popular Colombian singers.