Antonio Aguilar

El Charro de México

José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza was born on May 17, 1919 in Villanueva, Zacatecas, and grew up on a hacienda at Tayahua; he credited his mother, who sang in the church in Villanueva, with his vocation. He died on June 19, 2007 in Mexico City, aged 88. In 1940 and 1941 he studied singing in Hollywood and worked in Tijuana, and in 1945 he returned to Mexico City singing boleros. In Puerto Rico the composer Rafael Hernández suggested he sing ranchera, and he adopted the charro suit. His first chance on XEW radio, in July 1950, launched his stardom, and he signed with Discos Musart that year.

He made over 150 albums and sold 25 million records, by the Associated Press's count, and the Los Angeles Times said more than 160. Spanish Wikipedia notes that his original discography was never formally compiled. The hits named by the AP include "Triste Recuerdo", "Albur de Amor", "Gabino Barrera" and "Puño de Tierra", and English Wikipedia adds "Caballo prieto azabache". Albums listed on Spanish Wikipedia include A grito abierto (1959), Corridos de revolución (1976), El Moro de Cumpas (1977) and Las cartas de Antonio Aguilar (2005). In 1992 he recorded the corrido "Bandido de amores" in a duet with Joan Sebastian.

He acted in well over a hundred films, 120 by Wikipedia's count and 167 by the AP's, produced about twenty, played Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, and appeared in The Undefeated (1969) with John Wayne. His first starring role was Tierra de hombres (1956), directed by Ismael Rodríguez. He pioneered combining rodeo and concert on tours across Latin America and the United States, and is credited with popularizing charrería; the Los Angeles Times called the shows wholesome musical rodeos and him the Roy Rogers of Mexico. English Wikipedia says he played six sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in 1997.

He received the Premio Ariel special award in 1997, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Recording category in 2000 (the address is given as 7056 on English Wikipedia and 7060 on Spanish Wikipedia and the Walk of Fame), and a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. An equestrian statue stands at La Placita Olvera in Los Angeles. President Felipe Calderón said his legacy would continue being a seed for a better Mexico.