Lucha Villa - Topic

Mexico's most famous ranchera singer, Lucha Villa earned more notice than Lola Beltran thanks to a long, successful film career in addition to her recording work. Born in the Chihuahua state town of Ciudad Camargo in the mid-'30s, young Luz Elena Bejarano entered a number of talent contests and was dubbed Lucha Villa by television producer Luis Dillon (the name is a contraction of Pancho Villa and the Chihuahua village where he spent time). Her biggest early hit was a version of the José Alfredo Jiménez standard "Media Vuelta," and after several minor film roles, she became a star with the 1965 cockfighting feature El Gallo de Oro.