José Monge Cruz, known professionally as Camarón de la Isla, was the greatest Romani singer and is considered the greatest flamenco singer in history. He was born on December 5, 1950, in San Fernando, Cádiz, and died in Barcelona at the age of 41 in 1992 due to lung cancer. His success began to arrive in 1968 at a tablao in Torres de Bermejas, Madrid, where he would remain for twelve years alongside guitarist Paco Cepero (stage name). He participated in the film Casa Flora, where he met Paco de Lucía, with whom he would release nine albums for his father, Antonio Sánchez Pecino. José Cruz, known professionally as Camarón de la Isla, was the greatest Romani singer and is considered the greatest flamenco singer in history. He was born on December 5, 1950, in San Fernando, Cádiz, and died in Barcelona at the age of 41 in 1992 due to lung cancer.

 His success began to arrive in 1968 at a tablao in Torres de Bermejas, Madrid, where he would remain for twelve years alongside guitarist Paco Cepero (stage name). He participated in the film Casa Flora, where he met Paco de Lucía, with whom he would release nine albums dedicated to his father, Antonio Sánchez Pecino.

In May 1987, he performed for three consecutive days at the Cirque d'Hiver.

In 1989, he recorded Soy Gitano, the best-selling album in the history of flamenco.

In 1990, he was sentenced to one year in prison for reckless endangerment resulting in death following a traffic accident that occurred on October 17, 1986, in which two people died. The singer did not serve time due to his lack of a criminal record.

Despite all of Camarón's successes, his greatest success was Como el Agua (Like Water). Que la crea (Crafted Like Water) in 1981.