Early career to 1978

In 1968, he won the Benidorm International Song Festival, a songwriter's contest in Spain, and signed a contract with a Columbia Records Latin music label, Discos Columbia. He represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970, finishing fourth behind Northern Irish singer Dana Scallon, and the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin. His entry was the song Gwendolyne which was his first recording. Notable albums from this decade include A Flor de Piel (1974, which spawned the big European hit Manuela), El Amor (1975) and Soy (1978).