Rigo Tovar
Rigoberto Tovar García (March 29, 1946 – March 27, 2005) was a Mexican singer best known as Rigo Tovar. Famous for his cumbia songs, Tovar is considered a musical pioneer by fusing electric guitar, synthesizer, and rock melodies with traditional Mexican music.
Tovar was born and raised in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. After moving to Houston, Texas, his musical career began to take off in the early 1970s. Blending cumbia, tropical, and modern pop rock, he quickly gained a large following. His first album entitled Matamoros Querido was released in 1971 and garnered the singer two regional hits, the title track and Lamento de Amor.
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[edit] Rigo Es Amor
Through extensive radio play and touring both in the United States and Mexico he quickly achieved great popularity and wealth. At the height of his fame, he was known as "El Ídolo de México" (Mexico's Idol) and "El Ídolo de las multitudes" (The Idol of the Masses). The release of the album Amor y Cumbia in 1976 catapulted him to superstar status not only in Mexico but many other areas of Latin America as well as the United States. His adoring public coined the phrase "Rigo es Amor" which is translated in English as "Rigo is Love". This was attributed to the love songs he performed and the passion he poured into them. His music, voice and image were so endearing to so many that he became the living embodiment of love. It was routinely yelled out at his concerts and is still used when people speak of him.
He authored among others hits like Matamoros Querido, La Sirenita, ¡Oh, qué gusto de volverte a ver!, and Perdóname mi amor por ser tan guapo. He was most successful in the 1970s and 1980s and retired in the late 1990s but he and his songs remained popular, especially Matamoros Querido and La Sirenita. His musical group, Rigo Tovar's El Costa Azul, went through several line-up changes and is still active today. During his career, Tovar broke several attendance records in Latin America and Mexico (many of which still stand to this day), sold over 30 million albums, and continues to influence countless artists of all genres.
[edit] Rigo Tovar "Bigger Than The Pope"
Tovar was easily recognizable by his long, wavy black hair, dark eyeglasses and signature jump at the end of his concerts. In 1979 he broke an attendance record in Monterrey, Mexico at the Santa Catarina River when four-hundred thousand people showed up to see him play a free concert.[1] Local newspapers El Norte and El Sol ran the story which stated that the singer had broken an attendance record held by Pope John Paul II. The Pope had visited Monterrey earlier that year, setting an attendance record at three-hundred thousand people.
[edit] Rigo Tovar Movie Star
Tovar also starred in several movies including Vivir Para Amar (1980), Rigo Es Amor (1980), and El Gran Triunfo (1981).
[edit] Personal Life
Tovar's life was as full of tragedy and controversy as that of success and fortune. He was born and grew up in extreme poverty in a large family where food was scarce and living conditions were extreme. He lost his mother, with whom he had a very close relationship, when his singing career started to ascend. The relationship with his father was tense and difficult, and although several of his brothers were in the band at the beginning; they left as Tovar started gaining all the attention. The one brother who stayed was Everardo Tovar who became his manager.
Tovar suffered from retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition for which there is no current medical treatment and the reason for his constant use of dark sunglasses. He started losing his sight in his mid-20s and eventually went blind.
He also suffered from vitiligo, a skin condition where loss of pigmentation causes patches of light skin to appear on the body. His brother, Everardo Tovar, died in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. In addition to retinitis pigmentosa and vitiligo, the singer also suffered from diabetes.
A few days shy of his 59th birthday, Tovar died on March 27, 2005, from diabetic complications leading to cardio-respiratory failure. His funeral was held behind closed doors in a notable funeral home located in Mexico City, but fans and some members of his large family entered the funeral service by force. Tovar was cremated and his ashes were thrown onto one of Matamoros' beaches per his wishes.
[edit] Legacy and Remembrance
He appeared posthumously in the 2005 video for the Akwid song, Como, Cuando y Donde, which samples Tovar's haunting jazz-tinged interpretation of the song Quizás. also in his hometown matamoros a main avenue was named after him.
[edit] Discography
- 1971: Matamoros Querido
- 1973: Cómo Será La Mujer
- 1974: En La Cumbre
- 1974: En Acción
- 1975: Te Quiero Dijiste...
- 1976: Amor Y Cumbia
- 1977: Dos Tardes De Mi Vida
- 1978: ¡Oh, Qué Gusto De Volverte A Ver!
- 1979: Con Mariachi Vol. 1
- 1979: Rigo Tovar En Vivo
- 1980: Con Mariachi Vol. 2
- 1980: Reflexiona
- 1980: Rigo Rock
- 1981: Rigo '81
- 1982: 10 Años Tropicalísimo
- 1982: Sublime Y Bohemio
- 1983: Con Mariachi Vol. 3
- 1984: De Nuevo En Contacto Musical
- 1985: El Músico Chiflado
- 1987: Quítate La Máscara
- 1989: Baila Mi Ritmo
- 1989: La Fiera
- 1989: Los Últimos Exitos de Rigo Tovar
- 1990: El Ritmo Del Sirenito
- 1990: El Sirenito
- 1992: Rigo El Guapo
- 1994: Éxitos Con Banda
Recopilaciones De Rigo
- ????: Sigue Bailando Mi Ritmo (LP)
- 2005: La Historia De Un Ídolo
- 2006: Mi Tinajita Y Muchos éxitos Mas...
[edit] Singles Discography
- Matamoros Querido
- Lamento De Amor
- Recordando Monterrey
- Estoy Enamorado De Verdad
- Como Sera La Mujer
- Pajarillo Montañero
- Me Quiero Casar
- El Testamento
- La Sirenita
- Amor Libre
- ¡Oh,Qué Gusto De Volverte A Ver!
- Reflexiona
[edit] See also
- Houston Press Blog Article [2]
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