Gilberto Alejandro Durán Diaz, known to all as Alejo Durán or "El Negro Grande" (the Big Black Man) (February 9, 1919 – November 15, 1989) was a Colombian

Colombian people

Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...

 vallenato music

Vallenato

Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...

 traditional composer, singer and accordionist.

Duran was born in El Paso

El Paso, Cesar

El Paso is a municipality in the Cesar Department of Colombia. El Paso is mostly known for having the second largest coal mine in Colombia, located in the corregimiento of La Loma.-Eyimology:...

, Cesar

Cesar Department

Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...

. He is notorious for lyrically "self-flagellating" himself in his songs. In 1968 Duran gained notoriety for winning the first version of the "Vallenato Legend Festival

Vallenato Legend Festival

The Vallenato Legend Festival is one of the most important musical festivals in Colombia. The Festival features a vallenato music contests for best interpreter of accordion, caja vallenata and guacharaca, as well as piqueria and best song...

" in the city of Valledupar

Valledupar

Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...

 and is often cited as one of the best Vallenato musician of all times. He died in Montería

Montería

Montería is a municipality and city located in Northern Colombia and is the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean, by the Sinú River. The city and region are famous for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of indigenous Zenú Indians,...

, Córdoba

Córdoba Department

Córdoba is a Department of the Republic of Colombia located to the north of this country in the Colombian Caribbean Region. Córdoba faces to the north with the Caribbean sea, to the northeast with the Sucre Department, east with the Bolívar Department and south with the Antioquia Department...

.

Colombian musician Carlos Vives

Carlos Vives

Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...

 did cover

Cover version

In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

versions of his songs.

Popular songs he wrote include "Altos del Rosario", "Pedazo de Acordeón" and "La Cachucha Bacana".