Agustin Lara

Agustín Lara was born in Mexico City on October 30, 1897, although he claimed Veracruz as his birthplace. He learned to play the piano from his father, who was a doctor and a capable musician. He was sent to live with his aunt Refugio after his mother died, and there he learned French and poetry from an old gardener. He started his musical career at a young age, playing in cabarets and brothels. He rebelled against his father's wishes and left the military school to pursue his passion. He composed his first song, Marucha, in honor of one of his first loves. He also had a scar on his face from an argument with a showgirl named Estrella, who slashed him with a broken bottle. He moved to Puebla and then returned to Mexico City in 1928, where he began working for the tenor Juan Arvizu as composer and accompanist. He also started his successful radio career in 1930, and acted and composed songs for films such as Santa. He toured Cuba, South America, and the United States, where he performed at the California Theatre and wrote songs for the musical film Tropic Holiday. He became famous for his romantic and melancholic songs, which blended different musical styles such as fox trot, tango, waltz, blues, jazz, ranchera, and bolero. He wrote over 600 compositions, some of which are considered classics of Mexican and Latin American music, such as Granada, Solamente Una Vez, Veracruz, Pecadora, and Piensa en mí. He was also known for his love affairs with several women, most notably the actress María Félix, whom he married in 1945 and divorced in 1947. He dedicated many songs to her, such as María Bonita, Noche de Ronda, and Mujer. He also had a daughter, Ana María, with his second wife, Yolanda Santacruz Gasca, who was a singer and actress. He adopted two more children, Agustín and María Teresa, with his fourth wife, Clara Martínez. He married his fifth and last wife, Vianey Lárraga, in 1968. He suffered from diabetes and heart problems, and died of a heart attack on November 6, 1970, in Mexico City. He was buried in the Rotonda de las Personas Ilustres, a mausoleum for distinguished Mexicans. He was honored with several awards and tributes, such as the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor, the highest award given by the Mexican Senate, and a statue in Madrid, Spain. He is widely recognized as one of the most popular and influential songwriters of his era, and his work has been recorded by many international singers, such as Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, and Luis Miguel.