Álvaro Carrillo

Álvaro Carrillo
Born	(1919-12-02)2 December 1919 San Juan Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca
Died	3 April 1969(1969-04-03) (aged 49)
Genres	Bolero
Occupation	Composer
Years active	1940–1969

Álvaro Carrillo Alarcón (2 December 1921 - 3 April 1969) was a Mexican popular music composer and songwriter, born in San Juan Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca. He wrote over 300 songs, mostly boleros, including the great hits Amor mío, Sabor a mí, Como se lleva un lunar, El andariego, Luz de luna, Sabrá Dios, Seguiré mi viaje and La mentira.

Early life and education

Álvaro Carrillo Alarcón was born in 1921 to a father of Spanish European descent and a mother of both Indigenous Mixtec and African descent. He came from a very humble family as they lived in extreme poverty. His father owned three cows which he believed made him a "rich" man and at that time it did, just to picture the idea. Since his father was a country man who came from a farm he was eagerly set on keeping all his sons stuck to his family's work on the fields. Since he was young Alvaro was not interested in obeying his father. After the tragic death of his beloved mother (while he was only 8) he grew up with another woman for his mother. Even though his father wanted him to work on the fields Alvaro was more focused on spending his time either reading poetry or reading about Greek mythology, he was very fascinated by it. His father was not pleased by this. By age 12/13 he discovered an interest for the guitar and as he grew so did his ear as he was introduced to many types of music while growing up in San Juan Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca. These would later greatly influence his work. In 1940, Carrillo enrolled in the National Agricultural School in Chapingo, where he composed his first songs as a student. In 1945, he graduated in Agricultural Engineering.

Career

Carrillo worked in the Corn Commission, but left engineering to become a composer. He became a friend of singer Antonio Pérez Mesa of the Trío Los Duendes. He wrote the song "Amor," for the trio; it rapidly became popular. Carrillo was a prolific composer, writing more than 300 songs during his life; many were boleros, a Mexican-style rhythmic ballad. His career was ended abruptly when he died in a car accident on 3 April 1969. His songs have continued to be covered by Mexican and international artists in the decades since his death.

Mexican romantic pop, ballad and bolero singer Luis Miguel recorded Carrillo's bolero "La Mentira" (The Lie) in Miguel's platinum album, Romance (1990), released by WEA. He later included Carrillo's song "Sabor a mí" in another of his hit platinum albums, Romances (1997), also by WEA.

Mexican musicians and singers know many of the songs from the Álvaro Carrillo songbook by heart. Noted interpreters of his songs include: Javier Solis, Pepe Jara, Trio Los Santos, and Linda Arce.

Representation in popular culture

Álvaro Carrillo's life inspired the film Sabor a mí (1988), directed by René Cardona, in which Carrillo was portrayed by Mexican singer José José.

External links

• "Videos". YouTube. Retrieved 7 July 2010.