Legends and Strings: From The Beatles to Paco de Lucía with Ramírez

We often say in our workshop that a guitar isn’t truly a guitar until the first chord is struck. And sometimes, we have the immense fortune of seeing that instrument land in the hands of those who write music history.

Today, we open our historical archive to share with you four documentary “gems” where our label has witnessed unrepeatable moments.

Mike Oldfield’s “Stradivarius”

We begin with a statement that has always filled us with pride. In a 1983 BBC interview, the creator of Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield, did not hesitate when describing his instrument.

“This is a Ramírez, it’s like the Stradivarius of the guitar.” — Mike Oldfield, BBC (1983)

It is not just a comparison; in the hands of innovators like him, it proved that the Spanish classical guitar has no genre boundaries. Great makers have always been drawn to proportion and symbol, something we explore in The Sacred and the Divine in the Guitar.

The secret of “And I Love Her”: a Beatle with a Madrid guitar

It is one of the most beautiful ballads in history, and its sound is unmistakable. In this classic Beatles video, you can clearly see George Harrison holding a guitar with our distinctive label in the soundhole.

Leonard Cohen and the poetry of flamenco

Thanks to historical graphic documents, we can confirm a special relationship. During his formative years and early international tours in the late 1960s, the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen trusted a Ramírez Flamenco.

In this image, we can see the poet alongside Joni Mitchell, holding a 1960s Ramírez flamenco guitar.

Paco de Lucía: the roots of genius

We could not forget one of the most important masters in music history. Although Paco de Lucía’s career was full of exploration, the covers of iconic records like Fuente y Caudal, Hispanoamérica and the single Entre dos aguas show the unmistakable silhouette of a Ramírez.

That our guitars were there, in the lap of the genius from Algeciras while he redefined the limits of flamenco, is the ultimate proof that a Ramírez is not just an instrument: it is a vehicle for pure expression, and we are deeply grateful he chose us.