I spent a summer living abroad in Spain in 1993, and one of my fondest memories was learning Spanish guitar playing from one of the friends I made there. I became a fan of Paco de Lucia, who popularized Spanish flamenco to the world and demonstrated how incredible music can be when you meld Gypsy, Arabic, and European influences. And all without using a pick! I was fortunate to see him perform live in Berkeley a few years ago. He died yesterday of an apparent heart attack. Rest in peace, Paco.