diabetes left her blind. She had cardiac complications and alcoholism. Lucha Reyes asked composer Pedro Pacheco to write "Mi Última Canción" ("My Last Song"). On October 30, 1973, one day before her death, she sang "My Last Song" at a well-known local radio broadcasting station. On the following day, October 31, 1973, Lucha Reyes, "La Morena de Oro del Perú" (Peru's Black Woman of Gold) died. She is buried in the "Cemetery the Angel" in Lima. Legacy Lucha Reyes and the ensemble Los Morochucos made a name for black performers among the leading interpreters of the vals criollo and marinera genres. The vals criollo derives from the Viennese waltz. The music is not originally Afro-Peruvian, but was converted by phrasing lyrics and playing the vals criollo with slightly off-beat accents. The addition of the cajón to the traditional instrumentation of two guitars served to give the vals an Afro-Peruvian dimension. Marinera songs honor the sailors who fought in the war with Chile and are played with two guitars, a cajón, and accompanied by hand clapping. Songs such as "¿Qué Importa?" of Juan Mosto ("What Does It Matter?"), with lyrics like " yet another failure is but a drop of water in the ocean for me " were made famous by Lucha Reyes. Her songs were rich with Peruvian Nationalism and criollo pride. Today, October 31, the same day of her death, is the "Día de la Canción Criolla" (Day of the Creole Song) and is celebrated in Peru every year. On July 19, 2019, Google showed a Doodle celebrating what would have been her 83rd birthday. Discography La Morena De Oro Del Peru (1970) Una Carta al Cielo (1971) Siempre Criolla (1972) Mi Ultima Cancion (1973) ¡Regresa!.... (1974) Lucha por Siempre....Lucha (1974) El Show de Lucha Reyes (1975) Cuatro Estrellas Criollas Jamás impedirás Un rosal divino Yo tengo una pena Compilations Criollos Inolvidables Criollos Inolvidables Vol.2 Criollos Inolvidables Vol.3 Regresa: Lucha Reyes, La Morena de Oro del Perú (Music & More, 2010) References External links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYPHqjkDnRo http://www2.caretas.pe/2003/1796/articulos/lucha.html 1936 births 1973 deaths 20th-century Peruvian women singers Singers from Lima Blind singers