BGS Remembers ...

In Memory of René Heredia

March 1, 2026

1939 - 2026

René in 1976 at Carnegie Hall playing to Paco’s old guitar case, courtesy of Andréana Cortés-Heredia

We are saddened to learn that internationally acclaimed Flamenco artist René Heredia passed away on March 1, 2026 after a long illness. René was well known in Boulder, starting in 1969 when he opened a summer studio with his new five-member troupe, and most recently as an instructor at H.B. Woodsong’s from 1989 through 2013 where he regularly engaged everyone with stories of guitar and life. One of his Boulder students even played with his group in recent years.

The picture above is from fifty years ago when René played at Carnegie Hall. It was an important occasion and René used it to pay homage to his friend and renowned Flamenco artist, Paco de Lucía, by including Paco’s old guitar case that he had given to René. His niece, Andréana Cortés-Heredia, shared that René kept the case intact, complete with Paco’s old travel stickers and even the cigarette burns from when Paco would put a lighted cigarette down while playing and then forget it until he smelled the case burning.

Andréana, herself a maestra de Flamenco, is continuing the work René started through her organization, Colorado Institute of Flamenco, which fosters authentic Flamenco guitar, song and dance. The torch has been passed.

For more on René’s passing, read

• https://www.cpr.org/2026/03/03/flamenco-artist-heredia-dies-at-87/
• https://www.westword.com/music/rene-heredia-denver-godfather-of-flamenco-obituary-40852441/