Francisco “Chico” Gallardo was born on April 16, 1982, in Almonte (Huelva), Spain. He began playing guitar at the age of eight, showing early musical curiosity and discipline.
At fifteen, he started formal training with Cádiz guitarist Antonio Márquez, studying with him until around the age of eighteen and acquiring a solid grounding in flamenco tradition. He later continued his development with the Córdoba maestro José Antonio Rodríguez and complemented this work with private studies under musician Antonio Mesa, where he deepened his harmonic and theoretical knowledge.
Gallardo also attended the Fundación Cristina Heeren, where he received instruction from leading flamenco guitarists including Manolo Franco, Niño de Pura, Miguel Ángel Cortés and Eduardo Rebollar, among others.
At sixteen, he entered the recording studio world, taking part in albums for artists from his home province and gradually establishing himself as a session guitarist. His professional career gained particular momentum in the sevillanas genre, touring with major figures of that style. Under the mentorship of José Antonio Rodríguez, he joined Rodríguez’s company and toured Europe, Latin America and the United States for more than a decade.
After this period, he expanded his activity into pop and world musics. He collaborated with international artist India Martínez and took part in projects with well-known pop performers such as Vanesa Martín, Chenoa, David DeMaría and Abel Pintos. In parallel, he maintained a close link to flamenco, performing in productions alongside artists including Miguel Poveda, Arcángel, Antonio Canales and Carmen Linares.
In 2025 Gallardo premiered his work Plaza San Pedro 11 in Almonte, an intimate project in which the guitar acts as a vehicle for memory and emotion.
A highlight of his career took place in January 2026 when he was announced as one of the eight finalists of the III Paco de Lucía Flamenco SGAE Award, where he will present his composition Creencias (Beliefs).
Galalrdo shared: “It’s a work inspired by the environment where I’ve lived: El Rocío, Doñana, Matalascañas… and the faith people have in the Virgin of El Rocío in this area. Hence, the name of the work, Creencias, through which I’ve tried to convey the peace one feels in prayer when the hermitage is empty, in the dry silence of the streets of El Rocío in winter, or on my beach in Matalascañas. And of course, it’s also a tribute to the person who taught me to enjoy and believe in all of it: my mother.”
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.