Agustín Lara

During Mexico's pre-war years, Agustin Lara stood among the nation's most influential composers, crafting enduring pieces such as "Granada," "Solamente una Vez," "Maria Bonita," "Farolito," and "Palabras de Mujer." His command of multiple idioms—ranchera, bolero, tropical numbers, and the sporadic tango—infused frontier themes with worldly sophistication while enriching numerous early Mexican motion pictures through his lush scores. Born in Mexico City in 1897, though he frequently cited Veracruz instead, he studied piano before performing in a bordello, a path interrupted when his father enrolled him in military school. Music soon reclaimed him, leading to regular piano engagements across Mexico City, and by 1928 his work began appearing on disc, starting with Adelaido Castelleda's orchestral version of "Imposible." Between 1930 and 1939 he produced the bulk of his celebrated catalog amid tours of South America and frequent national radio broadcasts. Film scores also occupied him, helping shape the golden age of Mexican cinema that stretched from the mid-1930s into the late 1940s and roughly mirrored Hollywood's own peak. European tours throughout the 1950s and early 1960s elevated his profile abroad and secured lasting international recognition. Although his visibility waned later in the decade, he reentered public view on several occasions until a fatal heart attack ended his life in 1970. Countless performers have since interpreted his material, among them Xavier Cugat, Desi Arnaz, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Lola Beltran, and Celia Cruz. To mark the centenary of his birth, Placido Domingo devoted an entire album, Por Amor, to Lara's songs.