Antonio Aguilar

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[1]

Antonio Aguilar
Born Pascual Antonio Aguliar Barraza
May 17, 1919
Villanueva, Zacatecas, Mexico
Died June 19, 2007 (aged 88)
Mexico City, Mexico

Pascual Antonio Aguilar Barraza (May 17, 1919 – June 19, 2007), most commonly known as Antonio Aguilar, was a Mexican singer, actor, producer, and writer. During his career, he made over 150 albums, which sold 25 million copies, and made 167 movies.[1]

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[edit] Early life

Aguilar was born in the small town of Villanueva in the state of Zacatecas. He spent his early childhood in a hacienda first built in 1596 in the town of Tayahua, about 35 km from Villanueva. Aguilar's family acquired this property in the early 1800s.

[edit] Acting career

See also: Antonio Aguilar filmography

Aguilar began his acting career in 1952 during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He is credited with popularising la charrería, considered to have originated in Mexico, to international audiences.[1]

Antonio Aguilar was the first Mexican performer to mix rodeos and concerts while touring his show in Latin America and the United States.[2] He made 167 movies and has been compared to American Western actors like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. This is because Aguilar's charro or cowboy movies entail romantic ballads with him getting the gal. Amongst his best movies are Caballo Prieto Azabache and Bala Perdida. Aguilar appeared in American western films like 1969's The Undefeated starring John Wayne.[1]

[edit] Musical career

Antonio Aguilar began his recording career in 1950, eventually making over 150 albums and selling more than 25 million records. He was known for his corridos with some of his best known songs including "Gabino Barrera", "Caballo Prieto Azabache", "Albur de Amor", and "Un Puño De Tierra". [1] Antonio was also largely responsible for the renewed popularity of the tambora music in the mid 1980s, when he single-handedly resuscitated the genre with the hit "Triste Recuerdo". To this day he has been the only Hispanic artist to sell out the Madison Square Garden of New York City for six consecutive nights. [3]

[edit] Family

Angela and Jessie, Antonio's parents, had six other children: Jose Roque, Chava(dec.), Lupe(dec.), Louis Thomas (dec.), Mariano (dec.) and Josefina. Aguilar was married to actress Flor Silvestre (born Guillermina Jimenez), and one of their children, Jose "Pepe" Aguilar, is among Mexico's most popular modern singers. In addition to Pepe Aguilar, he had another child with Flor Silvestre who is the oldest, Antonio Aguilar, Jr.[1]

[edit] Death

On Monday June 4, 2007, Aguilar was taken to a local hospital in Mexico City due to a pulmonary infection.

On Monday June 18, 2007, Doctors announced that Antonio was no longer responding to treatment and was expected to pass away before the end of the night. On Tuesday June 19, 2007, the doctor spoke out to the media that Aguilar was still alive, and his body was responding to the medication but was still in critical condition. While there, the family received visits from many famous people including Vicente Fernández.

Aguilar died on June 19, 2007 at 11:45 p.m. from pneumonia. His coffin was carried through the streets of Zacatecas, the state capital, and was honored at a memorial service attended by hundreds at a church there.

His body was then taken to the hamlet of Tayahua, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) to the south, where residents waited in the streets to bid Aguilar a final farewell before he was buried at his family's "El Soyate" ranch nearby, the government news agency Notimex reported.

A band played Aguilar's "Un Puño De Tierra" (A Fistful of Dirt), as the coffin arrived at the ranch.

Obituaries appeared in many newspapers, including Los Angeles Times (USA), New York Times (USA), Washington Post (USA), The Guardian (UK) and The Independent (UK). News of Antonio’s death were reported in newspapers of many Spanish-speaking countries, including Guatemala (El Periodico), Honduras (La Tribuna), El Salvador (El Diario de Hoy), Nicaragua (El Nuevo Diario), Costa Rica (Diario Extra), Venezuela (Correo del Caroní), Peru (Crónica Viva), Colombia (El Tiempo), Ecuador (El Diario) and Chile (El Mercurio).

[edit] Filmography

Further information: Antonio Aguilar filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Billboard "Mariachi Icon Antonio Aguilar Dies At 88" June 20, 2007
  2. ^ AP via The Guardian, "Mexican Mariachi Singer Dies at 88" June 20, 2007
  3. ^ “Una Vida de Corrido. Antonio Aguilar”, Somos (Mexico City: Editorial Televisa) (no. 195 - special issue): 104, 1 May 2000 

[edit] External links