Manitas de Plata, 92: "I am ruined and sick, help me!"

Manitas de Plata, 92, one of the most popular flamenco guitarists in the 20th century, is today plunged into the total disarray.After winning fortunes, the musician, who sold 93 million albums, is ruined.Sick and nailed in a wheelchair, he does not even have the means to afford a life assistant.He calls for help.

Since his little 24 m2 accommodation in the Grande Motte, in Hérault, the musician Manitas de Plata has granted an exclusive interview to La Dépêche.

You launch an appeal so that people help you.But what did you do with all the money you earned?

All my life, I lived day by day.I didn't think that one day everything would stop.Today I have no more contract and the disease complicates my life.My copyrights are blocked to set up tax arrears and my family is not easy enough to help me, even if my son Fernando does what he can with the little he wins.The money I earned I spent it while having fun and I gave it a lot around me, to gypsies like me who were poor.I made several families live and I often had to pay a wedding or a funeral to distant cousins or gypsies that I barely knew.I do not regret.If I had money again, I would always give as much.The money was done for that.What is difficult is to see that when everything is fine you have lots of Friends and when you are ruined almost everyone abandons you.

You do not regret not having invested, placed part of your earnings?

Yes, I regret it today.But, it was not in my culture.For us, the gypsies, buying land it is not done.The earth is for the dead.Now I see it differently.

Picasso and Dali, who were your Friends, had offered you canvases.What have become of them?

I don't know.I never found them.Maybe they were stolen From me or I lost them?I found it beautiful but I never considered art as a market value.I should probably have.

Do you touch that people are trying to help you?

Enormously !It shows that there are people who have heart and that's what I want to see even if it bothers me a little of having happened there.But, I really need a person to help me in my tasks and care of daily life.This is why I request their generosity.

What would be the best thing that can happen to you today?

To have contracts, to go on stage and to make records.I miss the public a lot (Editor's note: he starts to cry before leaving).I want to tell him that I love him and that I always wait to find him.Music is my life.I made triumphs all over the world.In London, New York, Japan ... and all that is over.My son Manero, who died last year, is also missing.I was born in a caravan, in Sète, and sometimes I dream of having one again.I would also like to see Johnny Hallyday again.I know he would understand me.I played for him in his film "Where do you come From Johnny".

Do you think your age and your state of health still allow you to play?

Yes.I could make short seated recitals.I dream about it.

Are you happy ?

Yes et non, surtout parce que je ne travaille plus, que je suis malade et que je n’ai plus assez d’argent pour vivre.

Do you have a message to send to all those who read this interview?

I want to tell them that you have to be generous, worry about others, especially since others are also us and no one knows what can happen in life ".

A support association

Nathalie, the former partner of Manitas, decided to create an association to help him."If I had more money I would obviously have settled things myself," explains the young woman.This is unfortunately not the case.Manitas, who moved and makes you dream so many people with his music, is part of our heritage, we cannot leave it like that ”.

Jacques Martin, lawyer and general councilor of Hérault supports Nathalie's initiative: "I hope people, especially artists, will be sensitive to his situation.In the meantime, I try to see how the General Council could help it ".Stéphan Rossignol, the mayor of Grande-Motte, a commune in which Manitas de Plata lives, assures, for his part, "think about what the municipality could do".

To contact the association: contact@manitas-de-plata.Fr