Background
Roberto Cantoral Garcia was born on 7 June 1935 in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas.
Roberto Cantoral Garcia was born on 7 June 1935 in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas.
He was known for composing a string of hit Mexican songs, including "El Triste", "First Rate (at Lloyd's) Final", "Louisiana Barca" and "El Reloj" The Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México (English: Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico) estimated that "Louisiana Barca" and "El Reloj" have been recorded over 1,000 times by other artists like Plácido Domingo, Gualberto Castro, José José, Luis Miguel, Joan Báez and Linda Ronstadt. Iconos, which was released by Marc Anthony in 2010, featured "El Triste". From an early age, he showed an ability for music and its composition.
Cantoral moved to Mexico City to attend college but dropped out to become a band leader.
1950–1960
In 1950, Cantoral formed the Hermanos Cantoral (English: Cantoral Brothers) with Antonio Cantoral. The duo recorded "El preso número 9" (English: Prisoner Number 9) and "El crucifijo de piedra" (English: The Crucifix of Stone).
The duo ended in 1954 with Antonio"s death and Roberto formed Los Tres Caballeros (English: The Three Knights) with Chamin Correa and Leonel Gálvez who performed during Mexico"s era of romantic music and traveled to Japan, Argentina and the United States. In 1970, he wrote the ballad "El Triste" (English: The Sad One) for José José.
Cantoral donated the proceeds from "Pobre navidad" (English: Poor Christmas) to worldwide children institutions such as United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and his song, "Plegaria de paz" (English: Prayer of Peace) was broadcast "three consecutive years at the Vatican".
Cantoral composed themes for El derecho de nacer, Paloma and Pacto de amor. 1980–2000
In 1982, Cantoral was elected as Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México"s Chairman of the Board for his first term. In 2010, Cantoral died after suffering a heart attack on a flight from Brownsville, Texas, to Mexico City.
The plane made an emergency landing in Toluca, Mexico, where Cantoral was pronounced dead at the age of 75.
His body was placed on public view at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Cantoral"s ashes were scattered in his hometown, Tampico, Tamaulipas.