Luis Arcaraz

In the years following World War II, Luis Arcaráz stood out as Mexico's leading orchestra conductor, drawing massive crowds across the Mexico-U.S. divide through performances of popular tunes from both American and Latin sources. Luis Arcaráz Torrás entered the world in Mexico City on December 5, 1910. He initially trained toward a career in bullfighting until his mother steered him toward music and engineering instead. He pursued further studies in Spain, then came back to Mexico City and took a radio position at station XEW, where he earned 36 cents an hour singing and playing piano. The broadcasts nonetheless turned him into a familiar name nationwide, and his first big band drew overwhelming ticket demand when it opened at Tampico's Teatro Palma in 1928.

Although the ensemble earned renown for its extensive collection of American pop numbers, Arcaráz himself wrote prolifically, producing roughly 200 songs across his lifetime, among them his signature piece "Sombra Verde." The bulk of these compositions were created for the Mexican film industry, and dozens of motion pictures carried his scores. By the early 1950s the band had built a sizable following throughout the southwestern United States and maintained a steady touring schedule for the rest of the decade. Arcaráz made Monterrey, Mexico, his permanent home in 1960 and opened the popular nightclub Cita con Arcaráz (A Date with Arcaráz) there. While en route to a performance in Mexico City, he died in a car crash on December 5, 1963.