Diamond Konex 1985 and Konex Award 1984

Greatest referent of Argentine folklore music. An author, composer, guitar player, singer and lyrics collector. From an early age, he composed and played music in the Northeast of Argentina and the Altiplano area. He researched the ancient native cultures. As from 1950, he started travelling to Europe and shared the stage with Edith Piaf in Paris. His performances were highly appreciated in Argentina, the rest of Latin América, Europe, the Middle East, and Japan. As from 1967, he settled in Paris and from the 1980s,  he decided to live some time in Europe and some in Argentina.  Among his books, the following stand out: “Piedra sola”, (1940), “Aires indios” (1943), “Cerro Bayo” (1953), “Guitarra” (1960), “El canto del viento” (1965), “El payador perseguido” (1972), and “La Capataza” (1992). His favourite musical genres were the zamba, northern song, vidala, chacarera and milonga. Some of his most famous songs are: “Luna tucumana”, “Los ejes de mi carreta”, “El arriero”, “El alazán”, “El aromo”, “La colorada”, “La añera”, “Adiós Tucumán”, “Zamba del grillo”, “Caminito del indio”, “Chacarera de las piedras”, “Milonga del solitario”, and “Cruz del sur”. Among his most famous recording, the following stand out: “Testimonio I y II”, “Leyendas”,  “Maestros del folclore”, “La magia de Atahualpa Yupanqui”, “20 Grandes Exitos”, and “From Argentina to the World”. Along his long career he received the following awards and distinctions:

First Prize at Karlovy-Vary (Czechoslovakia) for the music corresponding to the film  “Horizontes de piedra” (1956), the Charles Cross Academy Award,  Paris (1950, 1968, 1969), and was honoured at the cities of  Veracruz (Mexico), Arles (France), Berlin (Germany), Medellín (Colombia), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Lima (Peru). In  Argentina he was honoured by: Santa Fé, Tucumán, Pergamino and Córdoba; he received the Gran Premio de Folclore- Sadaic (1970), Premio “Tenco” 80 at the Festival de San Remo (Italy), Honour Diploma of the Consejo Interamericano de Música, (OAS) (Washington) (1983), Premio Caballero de las Artes y Letras, Ministry of Culture of  France (1986), and Illustrious Citizen of the City of Buenos Aires (1991). 

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