Gabi Luncă (16 October 1938 – 2 April 2021)[1], often regarded as "Queen of Lăutari music", was a Romanian-Romani lăutar musician.[2] Born in Vărbilău, Prahova County, Romania, she was also a folk singer.

Gabi Luncă
Birth nameElena Gabriela Luncă
Born(1938-10-16)16 October 1938
Vărbilău, Romania
Died2 April 2021(2021-04-02) (aged 82)
Bucharest, Romania
GenresManele, Romani folk, Christian music
OccupationSinger
Instrumentvocals
Years active1951-1993
LabelsElectrecord

Life

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Her father was also part of the lăutari, a very respected violinist because he was a "notist" (he knew how to read music). Her mother died when she was very young and this left a major impression on her life; many of her songs deal with the "mother" theme.

She was a favorite of Romania's communist ruler Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife Elena.

In the later part of her life, Gabi Luncă converted to Pentecostalism and started singing exclusively religious music.

She was married to the great accordionist Ion Stan-Onoriu.

Gabi Luncă died of COVID-19 in Bucharest, at the age of 82.

References

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  1. ^ "Gabi Luncă a murit. Artista era internată cu COVID-19". www.digi24.ro. 3 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  2. ^ Beissinger, Margaret (2016). "Village Manele: An Urban Genre in Rural Romania". In Giurchescu, Anca; Speranta, Radulescu (eds.). Manele in Romania: Cultural Expression and Social Meaning in Balkan Popular Music. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 241. ISBN 9781442267084. Gabi Lunca (b. 1938) is a well-known Romani singer…
  • Jurnalul Național - Gabi Luncă collection edition - April 16, 2007
  • Jurnalul Național - Gabi Luncă collection edition - June 23, 2008
  • Biography
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