Maria de Lourdes; Singer Was ‘Voice of Mexico’

Maria de Lourdes, 58, Mexican ranchera singer known as “the voice of Mexico.” A performer at Los Angeles’ Fiesta Broadway, she recorded 44 albums and since 1963 had spent about a month each year touring the United States, Japan, France, Germany and South America. She was a particular favorite of Holland’s Prince Bernhard and sang Mexico’s traditional birthday song, “Las Mananitas,” to him at several of his birthday celebrations. De Lourdes had just completed a tour of Europe with a visit to the Dutch royal family. A 6-foot bronze statue of her is scheduled to be unveiled Nov. 19 in Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi. On Thursday in Amsterdam of a heart attack.