Francisco Pérez Muñoz (1916–1951) was a singer, composer, and guitarist from

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

Biography

Pérez was born on April 25, 1916, in Huehuetenango, Guatemala to José Pérez and Luz Muñoz. At the age of 6, he acted in the municipal theater. In 1927, he moved with his family to

Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango (, also known by its Maya name Xelajú or Xela ) is both the seat of the namesake Department and municipality, in Guatemala. The city is located in a mountain valley at an elevation of above sea level at its lowest part. It may ...

, where he took on various roles as a singer and orator. Pérez made his grand debut in 1935 in the municipal theater of Quetzaltenango, accompanied by Juan Sandoval on piano. Later he formed the ''Trío Quetzaltecos'' with Manolo Rosales and José Alvarez. When Quetzaltenango radio station TGQ launched in 1937, he aired a series of concerts. Pérez achieved fame for his

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...

, ''

Luna de Xelajú Luna de Xelajú is a very popular Guatemalan waltz composed by Paco Pérez in 1944. The title translates as "Moon of Xelajú". "Xelajú" (pronounced sheh-lah-HOO) is the Kʼicheʼ Maya name for the Guatemalan city Quetzaltenango, still often p ...

'' (1944), which has become an element in Guatemalan cultural identity. The song figures in the repertory of most singers, choirs, marimba players and musical groups in

. Pérez died on October 27, 1951, in a

plane crash An aviation accident is defined by the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft, which takes place from the time any person boards the aircraft with the ''intention of fl ...

El Petén EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

, along with his pianist, Mario Lara Montealegre, and other musicians. He was 34 years old.

Works

* ''

'' * ''Tzanjuyú'' * ''Azabia'' * ''Nenita'' * ''Arrepentimiento'' * ''Patoja linda'' * ''Madrecita'' * ''Chichicastenango (guaracha)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Perez, Paco Guatemalan composers Male composers People from Huehuetenango Department Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Guatemala 1916 births 1951 deaths Guatemalan male singers 20th-century composers 20th-century male singers