Chico Bouchikhi

Jalloul "Chico" Bouchikhi (born 13 October 1954) is a French musician and a co-founder of the Gipsy Kings. After leaving the band in 1991, he formed his own group, Chico & the Gypsies. Bouchikhi was born in Arles, France, to a Moroccan father from Oujda and an Algerian mother from Tlemcen. He was married to Marthe Reyes, daughter of José Reyes, the father of the Reyes sons, members of the group Gipsy Kings. In 1979, upon the death of their father, José, the five Reyes brothers from Arles (Nicolas, Canut, André, Patchaï, and Pablo), who had up to that point been performing as a family band named José et Los Reyes, were joined by their cousins Diego, Paco, and Tonino Baliardo (nephews of Manitas de Plata) from Montpellier, and together with Bouchikhi, who was then married to Marthe Reyes, José's daughter, formed the group Gipsy Kings. They traveled around France and played at weddings, festivals, and in the streets, with Nicolas as lead vocalist and Tonino on lead guitar. The group eve...