Ovidi Montllor

Ovidi Montllor (4 February 1942 in Alcoi, Spain – 10 March 1995 in Barcelona, Spain) was a Valencian singer-songwriter and actor.

A native of Alcoi, at the age of 24 Montllor moved to Barcelona, where he was a member of various independent theater groups, including the CICF, and later with Núria Espert and Adrià Gual.

In 1968, he began to sing songs with lyrics by songwriters such as Vincent Andrés Estellés, Pere Quart, as well as writing several songs by himself.

Montllor was known for his deep voice and his histrionic on-stage manners, and went on to become one of the most talented members of the Nova Cançó movement, albeit one of the least popular.

As a result of the tributes paid to him by internationally renowned artists such as Miquel Gil and Pascal Comelade, his work has received increased attention from music lovers in the last few years.

Montllor's gift for acting led to him being cast alongside Lola Gaos in José Luis Borau's Furtivos, one of the most important films in the history of Spanish cinema.

Montllor died of esophageal cancer in Barcelona on 10 March 1995, at the age of 53.

Five months earlier, his hometown of Alcoi had paid him an emotional tribute in recognition of his success.

In 2005, on the tenth anniversary of his death, a series of tributes and celebrations in honour of Montllor took place throughout the Catalan countries.

Also in 2005, Inadaptats, a Catalan independentist music band, recorded a CD entitled "Homenatge a Ovidi" ("A Tribute to Ovidi") with covers of 14 of Montllor's most famous songs.

Valencian pro-independence band Obrint Pas dedicated their 2006 track "No Hem Oblidat" (We Have Not Forgotten) to Montllor.