Carlos Gardel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carlos Gardel (11 December 1887/18901 - 24 June 1935 Medellín, Colombia) was perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango. Although his birthplace is in doubt, Argentina was his home from childhood, and he acquired Argentine citizenship in 1923. He died in an airplane crash at the height of his career, creating the image of a tragic hero throughout Latin America. For many, Gardel embodies the soul of the tango style that sprang from the barrios of Buenos Aires and Montevideo at the end of the 19th century. He is commonly referred as "Carlitos", "The King of Tango" and ironically "El Mudo" (The Mute).
The unerring musicality and dramatic phrasing of Gardel's baritone voice made miniature masterpieces of his hundreds of three-minute tango recordings. Together with lyricist and long-time collaborator Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel wrote several classic tangos, notably: Mi Buenos Aires querido, Cuesta abajo, Amores de estudiante, Soledad, Volver, Por una cabeza and El día que me quieras.