Manolo Escobar, born Manuel García Escobar on October 19, 1931, in El Ejido, Almería, Spain, was a celebrated Spanish singer, actor, and presenter. Known for his contributions to Andalusian copla and other Spanish music genres, Escobar's career spanned from 1956 to 2013. He gained fame with hits such as "El Porompompero" and "Y viva España," the latter becoming the best-selling album in Spain from 1973 to 1992.

Escobar was the fifth of ten children. His father, Antonio García, transitioned from farming to hospitality and culture, providing a retired teacher with room and board in exchange for music lessons for his children. Manolo began learning flute and piano early on. At 14, he moved to Barcelona, where he started his career in show business with his brothers in the group Manolo Escobar y sus guitarras.

His rise to fame began in 1962 with his debut in Madrid and Barcelona and the premiere of the film "Los Guerrilleros." Despite a decline in the copla genre's popularity post-1965, Escobar maintained high record sales and became one of the few artists to have his own company and show. He appeared in over 20 films and recorded nearly 80 albums, achieving multiple gold records and a platinum-selling cassette.

In his personal life, Escobar married German-born Anita Marx in 1959, and they remained together for 53 years until his death. They adopted a daughter named Vanessa, to whom he dedicated the song "Mi pequeña flor." Manolo Escobar passed away from colon cancer on October 24, 2013, in Benidorm, Alicante, Spain, at the age of 82.