Marco Barrientos fronts the ensemble that carries his surname and earned a Latin Grammy nomination for his contributions to modern Christian praise and worship repertoire. Alongside his spouse Cristina he established and continues to co-lead Centro Internacional Aliento in Arlington, Texas; he also writes books, delivers widely recognized addresses, and originated the Aliento del Cielo conference series.
Raised in Mexico, he completed studies at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas and received his diploma in 1985. One year afterward he issued his first recording, Este Es el Día de Alabanza, through the independent imprint Aliento Producciones. Immediately after graduation he served as associate pastor at Amistad Cristiana in Mexico City, a post he held until 1998, when expanding musical and speaking commitments prompted him to launch Amistad Cristiana Internacional.
His second album, Se Exaltado, appeared in 1988 and elevated his profile within Latin praise-and-worship circles. From that point forward he maintained an intense pace, issuing no fewer than two self-released projects annually through 2012 while simultaneously directing worship and music conferences throughout Latin America and the United States and overseeing congregational life. The live set Transformados, captured in 2010, received a Latin Grammy nomination the following year.
Following the 2012 release Ilumina, Barrientos observed his first extended hiatus from the studio in nearly thirty years. He reemerged in December 2014 with the live project Amanece, which included appearances by Marcos Brunet, Marcela Gándara, Christine D’Clario, Kike Pavón, Israel Chaparro, and Yvonne Muñoz.
