“I believe that blues doesn't compete... blues waits for you!! In Argentina, blues has been present from Oscar Aleman onwards, always!!! Obviously, the work is hard when your music isn't played on the radio. But blues has been through it all, and Bad Bunny and all that plankton aimed at the newer generations is no match!! Today, a young person looks up "Blues" on YouTube and finds music to listen to and research until the day of their funeral.”

Miguel Vilanova: All About The Blues

Miguel Vilanova (widely known by his stage name Botafogo and later Don Vilanova) is one of the most iconic and influential blues guitarists in Argentina. Born in Buenos Aires in 1956, he began his professional career in 1973 at the young age of 17, playing alongside the legendary Pappo in the band Pappo's Blues. Due to the political situation in his country, he lived in Madrid for seven years (1977–1984), where he integrated into the Spanish rock scene, collaborated with Joaquín Sabina, and had the honor of playing in Chuck Berry's Blues Band during his tour in Spain. Upon returning to Argentina, he formed the band Durazno de Gala and launched a successful solo career in 1995, leading to international tours in the US and Japan.

(Photo: Miguel Vilanova, one of the most iconic and influential blues guitarists in Argentina)

Throughout his career, he opened for global legends such as B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, and Jeff Beck, and in 2005, he was honored with the prestigious Konex Award as the top instrumentalist of the decade. In 2008, he changed his stage name to Don Vilanova to mark a new creative era, and he remains one of the most prominent ambassadors of Latin American blues to this day.

Interview by Michael Limnios                    Archive: Miguel Vilanova, 2024 Interview

How did your collaboration with Pappo in the late 1970s influence your subsequent career, and how did the legendary nickname "Botafogo" come about? Furthermore, what inner need led you to leave that name behind in 2008 and adopt "Don Vilanova"?

On December 28, 1973, Pappo—my idol, my inspiration, and the father figure for a 17-year-old kid—took me by the hand onto a professional stage for the very first time in my life. I was playing bass, even though I was a guitarist. That moment undeniably shaped my path.

For that first gig, Pappo suggested I use the name Botafogo. I will never know why! Every time I asked him, he would start laughing uproariously, but he wouldn't tell me the reason. My personal take is that he likely got the name from a comic strip in Argentina at the time called Afanancio (which is an Argentine slang term for a petty thief). The character Afanancio, who wore a flat cap like a Peaky Blinder, went on adventures with a younger sidekick who wore a suit and slicked-back hair. That’s exactly how I used to dress, since I was still in high school and would go to rehearsals straight from class. Obviously, he saw himself as Afanancio, and I, his new companion, looked just like Botafogo from the comic!

When he left this planet, I felt that the name I was baptized with should go with its mentor. Of course, after using that name for so many years, people knew me by it, so there was some resistance. Don Vilanova is in memory of my father, Fidel. In Spanish, 'Don' means 'of noble origin'—it’s an honorific abbreviation. And my father was the noblest person I’ve ever known in my life. Even so, many promoters still asked me to use Botafogo, simply because it drew a bigger crowd.

“Those of us who believe that the blues was born as a vehicle for expressing all of life's ups and downs think that our compatriots, our listeners, need to understand the message. Of course, there are also lyrics in Spanish that use the exact same tropes taken from translations of blues hits; namely: 'Baby, you left me and I'm all alone,' 'I get drunk all day because I'm alone,' etc., etc.“ (Photos: Miguel Vilanova & Pappo | Miguel Vilanova as ‘Don Vilanova Botafogo’)

What did you gain artistically from the years you lived in Spain and your collaborations with local musicians? How did it feel to share the stage with great blues and rock musicians during their visits to Argentina?

In 1978, I moved to Madrid, Spain. It was the first time I had ever left Argentina. There, I encountered a highly professional music scene—a stark contrast to what I was used to in Buenos Aires, with the exception of my experience in Pappo’s Blues, of course. My usual environment back home consisted of amateur, neighborhood bands.

At first, I had no choice but to play on the streets or in the underground subway to cover my living expenses. This gave me a thick skin, which turned out to be very useful for getting up on stage. Later on, a lineup of Pappo’s Blues came together in Madrid, which once again allowed me to showcase my playing to the local crowd and musicians, as our shows were very successful. When Pappo returned to Buenos Aires, I decided to stay in Madrid.

The musicians of a band called CUCHARADA had seen me playing in the subway. When their lead guitarist had to leave for mandatory military service, he personally recommended me as his replacement—an act of generosity I will never forget. Playing with them gave me an inside look at how a professional band operates, and I learned how to carry myself as a professional musician.

I also worked as a session musician for Sony Madrid, which introduced me to artists like Antonio Flores, son of the legendary 'Faraona' Lola Flores. Later, I formed and joined Joaquín Sabina's band, among many other musical projects. Spain was also where I opened for major acts for the first time, including Chuck Berry, the Blues Band, and Whitesnake.

Back in Buenos Aires, I went on to open for B.B. King (standing ovation!), Carlos Santana, Scott Henderson, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton (twice in Chile). I shared a recording session with my band and Taj Mahal, and played bass on a high-rating TV show alongside Johnny Rivers and Pappo.

I should also mention that in the US, I played in Miami with the local legendary band Iko Iko. At the Beale Street Music Festival, I performed with Blind Mississippi Morris, and I also played many times in Washington with Bruce Ewan and his band. Back in Buenos Aires, I shared the stage with Beverly "Guitar" Watkins, Captain Luke, Pura Fé, and Deacon Jones. All of this was a dream come true for the son of two peasants.

“Despite the state of today's music industry, when newer generations discover the blues, there is no turning back. They realize the authenticity of the genre, its historical significance, and the deeply human DNA it contains. Because the resilience that the blues represents is inherent to the human spirit.” (Photo: Miguel Vilanova on stage)

What distinct characteristics make Argentine blues stand out from classic American blues?

I think the main characteristic is that we sing in Spanish. Of course, there is a clash with a segment of Argentine blues musicians whom I call 'more Catholic than the Pope'—also known as purists—who don't accept the blues being sung in Spanish. Those of us who believe that the blues was born as a vehicle for expressing all of life's ups and downs think that our compatriots, our listeners, need to understand the message. Of course, there are also lyrics in Spanish that use the exact same tropes taken from translations of blues hits; namely: 'Baby, you left me and I'm all alone,' 'I get drunk all day because I'm alone,' etc., etc. Let me tell you an anecdote.

As I mentioned, I’ve played many times with my friend, the harmonica player Bruce Ewan from D.C. We usually play in parks, and one day in one of them—in a predominantly African American neighborhood—a lady came up to me after we finished playing and said, 'You play the guitar so beautifully,' to which I replied with an immense thank you. And then she added: 'You know what I liked the most? Hearing the blues in Spanish... it sounds so good.'

Obviously, we are influenced by the blues from its birthplace, but we were also impacted by the British blues of the sixties: John Mayall, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, etc. But artists like Pappo always added a personal touch—some rarely used chords, certain riffs, and some unusual endings.

Blues seems to achieve something magical: over the years, it reinvents itself, experimenting with new sounds and blending with other genres, yet at the same time, it remains deeply loyal to its traditional roots. How do you think it manages to do that, and how do you see the genre evolving in the future?

You know that I have published several music instruction books for the guitar. On one occasion, while gathering material to publish a book that was later titled Pentatonicas, usos e ideas (Pentatonics: Uses and Ideas), I decided to search the internet for things related to the pentatonic scale. I was shocked to find an article written by a paleontologist?!?! In that article, he explains that a small human bone was found, perforated with five little holes, which was clearly a sort of flute. Those five holes, obviously, represented the pentatonic scale. The carbon-14 analysis revealed that this bone was 45,000 years old!!! Do you see what I mean? Can you believe that so long ago, someone was blowing pentatonic melodies across the African savanna? I bring this up because that is the exact parent scale of the blues!!

Another story: Once, upon hearing that Stevie Ray Vaughan used .011 gauge strings, I wanted to try them out and ended up with a nasty case of tendinitis. I went to Chinatown to look for an acupuncturist and booked a few sessions. He cured me on the very first visit. He also gifted me a book he had written, which defined acupuncture points and related elements like air, water, fire, etc. And among those elements, he listed musical notes. He listed five notes. It occurred to me to arrange them in stepwise scale order, and it turned out to be a pentatonic scale!!!

Lastly: Around five in the morning in Buenos Aires, a bird called the Nightingale (which is also the nickname given to Carlos Gardel) usually starts to sing. As it turned out, one of them was singing right near my window at a beastly volume—it sounded like a 100-watt Marshall amp!!! Before taking any violent action against the beautiful little bird, I decided to record it!!! I called a former student of mine, Lucas Sedler, who has perfect pitch. I handed him a guitar and asked him to figure out parts of the bird's song. Guess what?

The bird was singing a pentatonic scale!!!! Forgive my digression, but I believe this is the answer to why the blues will never disappear!!! Its sounds strike so deep within us because they are a part of who we are. I could also mention the music the spaceship used to communicate in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, remember? It was a pentatonic scale!!! Despite the state of today's music industry, when newer generations discover the blues, there is no turning back. They realize the authenticity of the genre, its historical significance, and the deeply human DNA it contains. Because the resilience that the blues represents is inherent to the human spirit.

“Blues even influenced classical music via George Gershwin. British blues in the sixties put blues in the spotlight stronger than ever before. SRV playing a solo "à la" Albert King on Bowie's "Let's Dance," at the very peak of pop, triggered an unprecedented revival in the 80s and became a magnet for young people. Blues is like water, my friend!!!... a single drop hollows out the stone!!!" (Photo: Miguel Vilanova)

What has kept you passionate about music over the years? Looking back, how has your approach to the guitar and songwriting evolved from your early steps to today?

Because I love knowing I am part of this legion of spiritual warrior artists, just a little gratin of sand, flying on a magic carpet woven with pentatonics, bends, legatos, vibratos, and blues chords. Because by holding a guitar in our hands, we have elements of nature vibrating right alongside us. Because thanks to musicians, I was able to grow as a whole human being, confirm my principles, develop an increasingly broad and integrative worldview, and even achieve a deep spirituality free of dogmas but filled with enthusiasm—a word that literally means "God within." It was study that cemented the current tools I apply in performance, composition, recording, and stage production. Yet here we also encounter those who believe that if you study, you lose your feeling!!?!? It is often said: "black musicians didn't study and look at how they play," completely ignoring what B.B. King told us right here: "I was a poor black man, I couldn't afford music school... but of course I would have loved to study. That's why I subscribe to Guitar Player; they mail it to me wherever I am every month, and I study from it.

Do you believe that the blues in Argentina still functions as a vehicle for social protest and an expression of societal crisis?

In some authors, yes. They are not abundant. If what I do is taken into account—putting the cart before the horse—I have blues tracks where I talk about agrochemicals and their "benefits," like in a song called "Panivino the Peasant."

I usually refer to crop-dusting, as in my track "Fumigated."

In another one, "Trapped," I make an almost quantum physics reference to who we are.

In another, "They Are Murdering You," I make a compendium of many issues.

Also political criticism, diet, and spirituality.

With an indescribable success, as you can imagine (irony).

You could say I make "conspiracy-theory blues. (Joke).

“I managed to work as a musician for 54 years now. I was able to raise my family as a musician, own my own home through my work as a musician, play across five continents with incredible players, and publish my books to share knowledge—which in Argentina is, without a doubt, a miracle... all so that musicians who are just starting out understand that it can be done.” (Photo: Miguel Vilanova)

How do you view the future of the blues and rock scene in Argentina with the rise of new musical genres? How easy or difficult is it for the younger generation to connect with the blues?

I believe that blues doesn't compete... blues waits for you!! In Argentina, blues has been present from Oscar Aleman onwards, always!!! Obviously, the work is hard when your music isn't played on the radio. But blues has been through it all, and Bad Bunny and all that plankton aimed at the newer generations is no match!! Today, a young person looks up "Blues" on YouTube and finds music to listen to and research until the day of their funeral.

The day when youth discovers blues all over again is not far away!!! Radios that broadcasted blues were burned down... and it survived... just like "Lucille."

Blues even influenced classical music via George Gershwin. British blues in the sixties put blues in the spotlight stronger than ever before. SRV playing a solo "à la" Albert King on Bowie's "Let's Dance," at the very peak of pop, triggered an unprecedented revival in the 80s and became a magnet for young people. Blues is like water, my friend!!!... a single drop hollows out the stone!!!

What is the biggest artistic dream or project that you haven't realized yet but would love to bring to life? What is the driving force behind your continuous support for your music?

I would love to be able to host a Crossroads festival in Argentina!!! With the participation of blues musicians from every corner of the country.

I would also love to have a nice motorhome and travel Argentina from north to south and from east to west, on the road, playing with local musicians from each place, teaching classes, collaborating with local bands, giving clinics, and spreading enthusiasm. I am the son of two very humble peasants; I used to bathe standing inside a bucket, pouring water over myself with the cup used for boiling milk until I was thirteen years old. Even so, I didn't let my dreams fade away.

I managed to work as a musician for 54 years now. I was able to raise my family as a musician, own my own home through my work as a musician, play across five continents with incredible players, and publish my books to share knowledge—which in Argentina is, without a doubt, a miracle... all so that musicians who are just starting out understand that it can be done.

(Photo: Miguel Vilanova, one of the most iconic and influential blues guitarists in Argentina)