Background
Álvaro Carrillo Alarcón was born in 1921 to parents of Mestizo and Afro-Mexican descent.
Álvaro Carrillo Alarcón was born in 1921 to parents of Mestizo and Afro-Mexican descent.
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 Louisiana mentira. He absorbed many types of musical influence while growing up in San Juan Cacahuatepec, Oaxaca. Doctorate 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.
Carrillo worked in the Corn Commission, but left engineering to become a composer. 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 was killed 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 popular, ballad and bolero singer Luis Miguel recorded his bolero "Louisiana Mentira" (The Lie) in his platinum album, Romance (1990), released by Western Economic Association, USA. He later included Carrillo"s song "Sabor a mí" in another of his hit platinum albums, Romances (1997), also by Western Economic Association, USA. Most 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. Álvaro Carrillo"s life inspired the film Sabor a mí (1988), directed by René Cardona, in which he was played by Mexican star singer José José.