Bruce Springsteen performed a tribute to the late singer-songwriter Victor Jara on September 12 in Chile. The performance was part of the Wrecking Ball tour, and fell coincidentally on the 40th anniversary of the Chilean military coup which led to Jara’s death.

To honor Jara, Springsteen played a cover of one of his songs, “Manifesto”, in the original Spanish.

The singer songwriter was also a theater director, teacher, poet, political activist, and member of the Communist Party of Chile.

Jara was dedicated to theater, and directed works from small local works to world classics. At the same time, he had a large hand is revolutionizing the popular music of his country under Salvador Allende. He became involved in the Latin American folk music movement and published his first recording in 1966, leaving his theater career for music by 1970.

Before his interests blossomed, however, he studied to be an accountant. He soon moved to studying at the seminary to be a priest, but moved on from this as well. He joined the army, and spent several years there before going back to his home to pursue his love of music and theater.

When the coup began on September 11, 1973, Jara was travelling to the Technical University where he was a professor. He slept there that night with the students and professors, and sang to lift their spirits.

On September 12, 1973, Jara was arrested and taken to the Chile Stadium with thousands of others. The military killed many of the prisoners, and beat Jara badly. They taunted him after breaking his hands, asking him to play guitar for them, and he sang “Venceremos” (“we will win”) with broken ribs. Jara ultimately died by way of 44 machine gun bullets embedded in his body, which was dumped on the outskirts of Santiago. His recordings were mostly burned by the military regime, but some managed to find their way out of the country.

Jara has left behind a rather large legacy. His wife, Joan Jara, snuck some of his recordings out of the country and wrote an account of his life entitled “Victor: An Unfinished Song”. A soviet astronomer named a new asteroid after him in late September of 1973. There have also been a number of songs and screenplays dedicated to him throughout the years. And now, Bruce Springsteen can be added to the list of those who have paid tribute to the late artist.

— Jackie Peterson