Lucha Villa

Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano (born November 30, 1936), ("Lucha" a hypocorism for Luz Elena, and "Villa" in honor of Pancho Villa). She has been a constant presence in popular music and film since the early 1960s. Villa's early hits included "Media vuelta", by José Alfredo Jiménez, as well as "La cruz del cielo" and "Viva quien sabe querer"

In the 1970s, Lucha Villa traveled to Denver, Colorado to perform for a benefit for the Crusade for Justice, youth programs and school.

In 1996, Villa, along with Lola Beltrán and Amalia Mendoza, recorded the studio album, Disco del Siglo: Las Tres Señoras, produced by Juan Gabriel, and starred in Me cansé de rogarle, a musical with Jiménez and recording star Marco Antonio Muñiz. She has appeared in some fifty films and won an Ariel Award for Best Actress (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar) for Mecánica nacional (1973). and has appeared on television sporadically since then. She was married five times: Mario Miller (1951-1958), Alejandro Camacho, Arturo Durazo (guitarist for Los Apson, 1960), Justiniano Rengifo, (from Zacatecoluca, El Salvador, 1974), and Francisco Muela. Lucha Villa has three children: Rosa Elena (1953), Carlos Alberto (1954), María José (1974).

Discography Early in her career she made a collaborative album with Luis Aguilar on RCA Victor. Most of her output has been on Musart Records; she also recorded for Ariola and WEA [Warner Elektra Atlantic].

Selected filmography Seis Días para Morir (La Rabia) (1967) The Empire of Dracula (1967) National Mechanics (1972)