Diomedes Diaz
| Diomedes Diaz | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Diomedes Díaz Maestre |
| Also known as | El Cacique de La Junta |
| Born |
26 May 1957 La Junta, San Juan del Cesar, La Guajira, Colombia |
| Died | 22 December 2013 (aged 56) Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia |
| Genres | Vallenato, Latin, dance-pop |
| Years active | 1976–2013 |
| Labels | Sony Music |
Diomedes Díaz Maestre (26 May 1957 – 22 December 2013) was a Colombian vallenato singer, songwriter, and composer. His nickname, "El Cacique de la Junta" ("the Chieftain of La Junta"), was given to him by another vallenato singer, Rafael Orozco Maestre, to honor Díaz's birthplace.
Díaz was born and raised on a farm called "Carrizal" on the outskirts of San Juan del Cesar, La Guajira. His father, Rafael Maria Díaz, and his mother, Elvira Maestre, were poor. His childhood was spent helping his parents and eight brothers with farm duties, while he was musically influenced by his locally renowned uncle, Martin Elias. His friends nicknamed him "El Chivato" ("the little goat"), making fun of his young vibrating voice. Eventually an uncle decided to help him train his voice and compose songs; Diomedes mastered his vocal training and was invited to perform at parties. He moved to Valledupar to work as a gardener, and also worked as a messenger and office boy for local radio station Radio Guatapuri. Between 1974 and 1975, he got his first recording deal with Jorge Quiróz and Luciano Poveda, a vallenato group. They recorded the song "La Negra and Cantor Campesino", which won Díaz fame. He also composed the song "Cariñito de Mi Vida" which was sung by his school friend and upcoming Vallenato singer Rafael Orozco.
Díaz received invitations to more parties, gigs and reunions, and his voice captivated a new generation of fans. At the cultural week for a local high school, he met Rafael Orozco Maestre, an emerging vallenato singer who would give Díaz his famous nickname El Cacique de La Junta. After saving money, he recorded his first LP, with accordionist Nafer Durán, which was played on radio stations and catapulted Díaz to regional fame.
Díaz died 22 December 2013 of cocaine overdose at age 56. Hundreds of people reportedly swarmed around a firetruck that carried his body for display in the main square of Valledupar, the singer-songwriter’s hometown. His death came three days after he released a new CD.
During the night of 14–15 May 1997, Díaz was having a party in his apartment in Bogotá, when a friend, Doris Adriana Niño, was killed. According to the Constitutional Court of Colombia, some people at the party, including Niño, consumed drugs, but it is not clear if she was involuntarily forced to take drugs or did so voluntarily. The report says that Niño was raped, and had an argument with a pregnant woman at the party, Luz Consuelo Martínez. Niño died that night, and her body appeared on the outskirts of Bogotá, near the Village of San Onofre, municipality of Combita, (Boyacá Department).
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