Luis Carlos González M.

Luis Carlos González Mejía (1908–1985) was a Colombian poet and lyricist. Many of his poems were put to music, and he is considered one of the most significant lyricists of the bambuco genre. His poem "La Ruana", which was made into a song of the same name by , is taught in schools in Risaralda.

Biography Luis Carlos González Mejía was born on 26 September 1908 in Pereira, in the Colombian department of Risaralda.

González wrote poetry about rural Colombian life, and his subjects included cattle herders, aguardiente, and the customs of local people. His poems were initially published in the weekly magazine , and later collected in his first book, Sibaté, which was published in 1944. He went on to publish several other books of poetry.

Many of González's poems were put to music, mostly in bambuco style, by composers including Arturo Henao, Fabio Ospina, Francisco Bedoya, and Gustavo Adolfo Renjifo. González is considered one of the most significant lyricists of the bambuco genre. wrote the song "La Ruana" using lyrics from González's poem of the same name, which since 2018 has been taught in schools in Risaralda. For several years, González helped organise the National Bambuco Competition in Pereira.

González died in Pereira on 17 August 1985. On 26 September 2008, the centenary of his birth, González was celebrated by the creation of the , a day of festivities in Pereira.

Books of poetry Sibaté (1944) Pereira canta (1963) Asilo de versos (1963) Fototipias de Urbano Cañarte (1978) Retocando imágenes (1984)