Fans of all ages piled into the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center on Saturday to see the “Hoochie Coochie” American pop icon known as “Charo” return to the stage with two hours of music, fun, and excitement.
For decades, Charo, the entertainer born as Maria Rosario Piar Martinez Molina Baesza in the town of Murcia, Spain, has entertained millions around the world under a one-word stage name, “Charo.”
Charo, now late in her career, had a message for the young people in her audience, telling them “you can do it.” She said wanting to learn how to play guitar as a young girl in Spain, Charo said that she was told, “you can’t do it.”
“I did it,” she said, smiling. In fact, Charo has twice been voted as “Best Flamenco Guitarist” by Guitar Magazine.
Charo told the audience she “came to America to eat,” got her start with the Danny Thomas Vegas act, and has never looked back. She has since appeared on countless television shows and variety events and has enjoyed much Billboard success.
“I came to this country so that I could eat,” Charo started off, wearing a tight, red dress. Touching the dress, she said, “now, I can’t eat.”
Charo, the pioneer of what has become a growing lineage of Latin divas, has recorded songs for peace and songs to protest bullfighting. She has often been at the top of the charts and has a highly decorated recording career.
“I am so happy to continue with my career,” said Charo, in trademark high-energy Spanish accent, “because you are my family.”
The high-energy firebrand entertainer kept the large, vocal crowd on their feet for much of her two-act set. “I love you, I really do,” said Charo, jumping into the excited audience. After a quick warm-up of music and dance, Charo took the stage, taking the time to connect with her audience before launching a massive display of talent and energy to entertain them.
Appearing only with a three-piece band and a retinue of four dancers, Charo and company had the audience moving all night long. “That’s the best thing,” said Charo. “My secret is to keep moving, moving, moving,” she said.
Following a high-energy first set of dance, music, and entertainment, Charo took a 15-minute intermission, she said “for the first time.” She returned to the Carpenter stage seated alone, on a stool, where she performed an amazing “flamenco” guitar set, just Charo, alone, creating amazing songs with her mind sending her fingers flashing across the fretboard.
Charo had indeed learned the lesson as a little girl and said she knew inside “I can do it,” as she demonstrated yet again, what the New York Times calls “the Brilliance of Charo.”Executive Director Meagan Kline introduced Charo as part of the Carpenter Center’s growing mix of entertainment programs to both entertain audiences while promoting arts education.