In the summer of 1973, a Valencian star named Nino Bravo would have turned 29, and the year promised a tour that would reinforce his growing worldwide appeal. The idea of a full summer itinerary surfaced as a bold statement: a pop icon whose voice crossed borders and languages. That season, the performer might have celebrated with his musicians, giving them permission to spend time with their partners, knowing that schedules could tighten in the months ahead.
During that period, Bravo planned to unveil new material and push his own Brani label forward, supporting emerging Valencian artists he admired. The dream included staging additional European performances, with English and German versions of his hits ready for release, and even a guest appearance at an international event in Tokyo that would bring him into contact with audiences in Asia. The ambition extended to Japan, where a standout collaboration at a major festival would align with his ever-expanding reach.
In 1973, Nino Bravo prepared a fifth album and toured across Europe, the Americas, and even Japan.
Between tours and commitments, Bravo envisioned time to review demos from young Valencian talents he wished to champion under his label, while also charting a retrofuturistic disco project inspired by the bravura of Jules Verne. A studio space in Valencia, brimming with Verne-inspired decor, would become the birthplace of this artistic corner as it evolved under his guidance.
That year would have been luminous for Bravo both artistically and personally. Luis Manuel Ferri Llopis, known to friends as Manolito, would have witnessed family milestones, with new chapters suggesting the arrival of a second daughter for his wife Marie. He lived in a recent Valencia apartment on Bachiller de Valencia street, acquired in early 1972, where songs like “Libre,” “Noelia,” and “A kiss and a flower” filled the rooms, anchoring the pop idol’s everyday life.
At 12:15 pm a member of the Humo group called Suco: “I’m in Madrid. Nino is gone.”
last kisses
The events that followed were not real. On April 16, 1973, a BMW carrying Nino Bravo, accompanied by his friend Pepe Juesas and two younger musicians, Miguel Ciaurriz and Fernando Romero, left Valencia on the N-III motorway toward Madrid. The trip was meant to culminate in a new stage as the producer of Humo’s debut album, a project that would involve the young musicians joining him on his final journey.
Latest images of Nino Bravo
Valencian biographer Darío Ledesma describes the journey: four passengers departed Valencia at dawn, while little María Amparo slept in her crib, and Nino whispered a promise to call his wife when he reached Madrid.
death in ambulance
That morning, the group stopped for breakfast at the Hotel Sol in Motilla before resuming the trip. Around 10:30 am, the BMW left the road near Villarrubio due to an error by the driver. Fernando and Miguel escaped with minor injuries, while Pepe suffered severe trauma that left him nearly paralyzed. Nino, however, endured the gravest injuries and was moved through a sequence of medical facilities in Madrid after the crew could not receive adequate treatment at the initial location.
The worst moment arrived when Fernando, who rode in the ambulance with him, died in Nino’s arms around midday. According to Ledesma, Nino’s last words to Fernando were a plea to contact Suco, preserving a thread of friendship amid catastrophe.
Many fans spent the night at the cemetery to attend the funeral. More than 10,000 people attended
The news has come
News of the accident spread quickly. Suco, then the longtime associate of the band and a close collaborator in Brani, was notified in Valencia and rushed to Madrid to relay the sorrowful message. He arrived with a sense of disbelief, and the family faced the gravity of the loss with private dignity and public sorrow, as reporters and loved ones traced the sudden silence that followed a vibrant career.
As the horror settled in, the nation absorbed the first official announcements. Televised updates revealed Nino Bravo’s death in a car accident near Tarancón, and the broader public felt the shock across Spain and into the Americas, as radio stations began to relay the heartbreaking news.
Conversations among fans and colleagues highlighted the suddenness of the tragedy and the impact of a life so fully lived in performance and music. The loss resonated through the entertainment world, casting a long shadow over a promising season that time would never fully retrieve.
The last journey
By the evening, a Valencia-bound plane carried Manu and Suco, transporting the team to a somber vigil at the Forensic Anatomical Institute. In Valencia, families and friends faced a devastating farewell. The father, Manolo, could not bear to imagine the worst, while Consuelo Ferri pictured her family enduring the shock with faith and resilience. The burial would soon become a collective moment of mourning, a testament to the bond between an artist and the fans who loved him.
The following day, the funeral procession moved toward Valencia General Cemetery. The journey provided a shared space for the community to pay tribute, with members of the group and supporters recalling moments from the road that had led to this quiet, painful end.
A kiss and a flower
Valencia gathered in mass, with thousands awaiting the final farewell. The city mobilized to honor a star whose music had touched many. The crowd framed the occasion with solemnity, while authorities managed the vast turnout. The outpouring of grief showed how deeply Nino Bravo connected with listeners who carried his songs into daily life.
Newspaper coverage captured the emotion of the day, noting the profound display of respect as the public slowly approached the chapel. Police and security staff coordinated access to ensure a dignified, orderly goodbye. The memorial became a lasting symbol of the artist’s influence and the intimate connection he shared with fans that endured in the years that followed.
In time, the hearse delivered the body to a niche in the Valencia Municipal Cemetery, where family and friends placed flowers and whispered memories. The world still remembers the vibrant presence of Luis Manuel Ferri Llopis, known to millions as Nino Bravo, and the legend of his voice remains a beacon for generations of listeners who discovered him through the music that continues to echo across borders.