Guillermo "Willy" Oddó

He was born in Chile and studied at the State Technical University in Santiago de Chile, where he participated in the musical "peñas" and other cultural and student activities together with Hernan Gomez. He spent some time at the Naval Academy, where he showed an aptitude for playing football. He joined Quilapayún in 1967 to replace Julio Numhauser (who left the group) and he rapidly become the most distinctive and loved member of the musical ensemble.[2]

Oddó was Quilapayun's baritenor and played guitar, winds, percussion and was central on stage during live performances. He was the solo vocal on a number of songs, including Canto a la Pampa and Mamma mia dame cento lire of the X Vietnam album, La Carta from the Basta album, Soy obrero pampino... of the Cantata Santa María de Iquique, and Pido Castigo. He was a lover of Argentine folk music (especially of tangos and zambas) and a great fan of Carlos Gardel and Los Fronterizos.[1]

Oddó was on tour in France as part of Quilapayun when on September 11, 1973 a US-backed military coup overthrew the democratically elected socialist government of Salvador Allende – who had appointed the group the role of "cultural ambassadors". Oddó, along with the other members of Quilapayun, remained in exile until 1988 when the Pinochet dictatorship began to lift some of the controls it had on its political opponents. In 1987 Oddo went to work in Argentina and in 1988 he returned to his native country of Chile and worked at the Municipality of Santiago until November 7, 1991, when he was assassinated in a night-time incident.

• Willy Oddo with Quilapayun performing a song from the Cantata Santa Maria de Iquique on French TV on YouTube
• El rojo amanecer de Willy Oddo
• Un humilde homenaje al maestro Guillermo "Willy" Oddó on YouTube
• Quilapayún Website
• Guillermo "Willy" Oddó at Find a Grave