ike Mercedes Simone in Argentina, Olga Delgrossi was also called “La Dama del Tango” (The Lady of Tango) on the east shore of the River Plate. Probably this is because of her admiration for the porteña singer. But, furthermore, her look, her strong personality, her gentleness on the stage and out of it justify this sobriquet.

Like many of the great Uruguayans who delved into tango, she was born in the interior of Uruguay –in the middle of the nation- in the city of Tacuarembó.

When she was only 12 she made her debut in the orchestra led by Malunga Sáenz, and won all the contests where she appeared. At a place and at a time where all choices were on the folk music side she was successful by singing tangos.

Two years later, with her family, she settled in Montevideo to start her career as professional singer. She appeared at the important tearooms “Café Palace” and “Ateneo”, accompanied by guitars, where she was so successful that was hired by Radio El Espectador which included her among its main artists.

In 1957, when Nina Miranda split, Olga was summoned by the most popular orchestra in Montevideo: Donato Racciatti’s, which played in a style after D’Arienzo’s. She was the vocalist for seven years and, even though she was a close friend of maestro Racciatti’s till the day he died, she split with the orchestra to begin a new stage. She called it her stage as “soloist”, but we, who followed her career, call it her stage as “interpreter”.

If something is to be stressed at a performance of “La Diva” –a term we like to use when we talk about her- is, besides her excellent way of phrasing, a gamut of vocal nuances that is charming and a manner of performing on stage her renderings of either tango or milonga, like few artists do, before a fervent audience that admires her in a standing ovation.

With Racciatti she made many recordings and tours throughout the interior of Uruguay. They as well appeared at balls, on the radio, at theaters and at the early television productions. Among her greatest hits on record at this period are: “Fumando espero”, “Hasta siempre amor”, “Fueron tres años” and “Limosna de amor”, by Racciatti and Enrique Soriano.

In Argentina they toured from north to south, and appeared at the popular radio program “El Glostora Tango Club” and at the Marabú cabaret.

After she split with the Racciatti’s orchestra, she continued her career in Buenos Aires and in the interior of the country with maestro Víctor “Toto” D’Amario.

In 1966 she was called by the bandoneonist and leader Luis Stazo to join “Los 7 del Tango”, a group well known by the quality of its players: Stazo, Trípodi, Suárez Paz, Monteleone, Ortega. With them she toured Argentina and appeared at many shows at theaters and on radio stations. They recorded for the Odeon company and played on several television channels alongside figures like Libertad Lamarque, Alba Solís, Lalo Martel, Néstor Fabián, among others.

She preferred her family, rather than her career, and returned to her land, to her people, where she continued shining as a star at a more limited milieu. But the circumstance of being based in Montevideo did not prevent her from being hired for numerous tours of Brazil, Venezuela and the United States, where she returned four times due to her success.

The whole American continent enjoyed her artistry for decades and Olga appeared on stages alongside great artists of all genres. To name a few, in Mexico with José Luis Rodríguez “El Puma” and Rosamel Araya. She sang with the Frank Pourcel symphonic orchestra conducted, according to what she told us, by Paco Pérez, an Uruguayan based in Mexico.

She also appeared to great acclaim in London, Madrid, Paris and other European capitals. In France she delighted the audiences of various cities, and on her la