Fresno singer and actress Merlinda Espinosa, with a “heart like no other,” dies at age 38

The sudden death of local artist Merlinda Valentina Espinosa-Torres has shaken the Central Valley music, theater and arts scene.

Espinosa-Torres died unexpectedly on June 17 at the age of 38.

To honor Espinosa-Torres’ legacy and assist her family with funeral and medical expenses, a GoFundMe account has been set up.

“I have been fortunate to call Merlinda my best friend for the past 24 years,” Diana Hernandez said on social media. Hernandez started a GoFundMe after people asked how they could help Merlinda’s family.

“It is with great sadness and a broken heart that I must announce that Melinda Espinosa unexpectedly lost her life yesterday,” Gloria Gonzales wrote on June 18 in the public Facebook group “Fans of Merlinda Espinosa.”

Gonzales, a longtime family friend, said, “Merlinda was loved and well-known in Fresno and throughout the Central Valley. She had an angelic voice and enchanted many with her angelic voice. We will miss her very much.”

Espinosa has been singing and performing since she was a child.

Born and raised in Fresno, she performed her unique style in both English and Spanish. She graduated from the Roosevelt School of the Arts. Her musical repertoire included traditional Mexican music, rancheras, Latin Nuevo Canto, country, R&B, ballads and jazz.

An artist at a young age

Espinosa-Torres began studying music with Agustín Lira, who founded El Teatro Campesino with Luis Valdez at a young age. Lira was also a Smithsonian Folways artist.

“She came to us through a California Arts Council program and began studying guitar and voice with Agustín at age 11. He taught her to sing,” said Patricia Wells Solórzano, co-director of Teatro de la Tierra, a nonprofit arts organization.

“She was very hardworking. Thanks to her mother, she was very disciplined,” said Wells Solórzano.

Espinosa-Torres, who performed as a theater actress from 1999 to 2019, has performed theater and music tours throughout California with Wells Solórzano and Lira.

“We did about 12 productions during those years, and she played leading roles. She was an excellent actress,” said Wells Solórzano, adding that Espinosa-Torres won a national talent contest in Los Angeles in high school.

“We had big plans. She wanted to come back to us at the Teatro de la Tierra,” said Wells Solórzano. “She wanted to teach the courses, she also wanted to record with us, and if all this hadn’t happened, she would have taught singing (singing) and theatre (Theatre).”

“She was like the daughter I never had. And I loved her very much and will always remember her,” said Wells Solórzano.

A community in mourning

Nate Butler, host of “The Local Show Fresno” on The Mighty 90.7 KFSR, which airs every Sunday from 8 to 9 p.m., posted on Facebook that the June 23 show will feature several songs Merlinda wrote and recorded in her memory.

“I know this loss hits me deeply. Her heart is one of a kind and it is beautiful that such incredible love lives on in all of us,” Hernandez wrote on Facebook.

A mass will be held at 9 a.m. on July 11 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Selma. The viewing and rosary will begin at 4 p.m. on July 10 at Page Funeral Chapel in Selma.

“She was a wonderful role model. She did more than we asked of her. She was disciplined and professional and a very loving, very kind person,” said Wells Solórzano.

“Rest in musical heaven, Merlinda Espinosa. A beautiful voice and a beautiful human to match. Rumba 32 is honored to preserve your powerful and stylish voice on our CD,” wrote Steve Alcala. “Your friends and the music community mourn with your family. You have left your legacy forever in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond.”