Gabriela was the daughter of José Abraham Pizarro and Blanca Hortensia Soto Figueroa. Her mother studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Chile and was an active participant in her church choir, in the professors’ orchestra, and in many theater and opera groups in Lebu. Gabriela was first introduced to folk when she accompanied her father to collect rent from the tenants that lived on his property. During these visits, she learned the wake of the little angel, the round bed, the herbalists’ trade, and other typical customs. Her mother influenced her a lot in her early years, along with her grandmother, Elba González, a tavern singer. From early on, Gabriela’s health was fragile, but music saved her.
