Originally, Trio Los Panchos were a ''

trío romántico A trío romántico is a group of vocalists-guitarists, with origins in Mexico and other places in Hispanic America, that performs romantic songs, based on rhythms like bolero, vals and pasillo, mostly. The ensemble may be composed of three music ...

'' formed in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1944 by

Alfredo Gil Alfredo Bojalil Gil (August 5, 1915 – October 10, 1999), also known by his nickname El güero, was a Mexican singer and the creator and principal founding member of the musical trio, Trio Los Panchos. As a member of Los Panchos, he was the th ...

Chucho Navarro José de Jesús Navarro Moreno, (January 20, 1913 – December 23, 1993), better known by his stage name of "Chucho" Navarro, was a Mexican singer and founding member of the Trio Los Panchos. Chucho Navarro was born in Irapuato, Guanajuato G ...

, and the Puerto Rican Hernando Avilés. The trio became one of the leading exporters of the

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...

and the romantic ballad in

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

. The group sold hundreds of millions of records since its creation in the mid 1940s, some of their best known songs being their interpretations of classic folk songs such as " Besame Mucho", "

Sabor a Mí The Croatian Parliament () or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabor is composed of 151 members elected t ...

", "Sin Ti", "

Solamente Una Vez "You Belong to My Heart" is the name of an English-language version of the Mexican Bolero song "Solamente una vez" ("Only Once" in English). This song was composed by Mexican songwriter Agustín Lara and originally performed by singer Ana María G ...

", "Contigo", " Quizas, Quizas, Quizas", "Contigo Aprendi", " Aquellos Ojos Verdes", " Cuando vuelva a tu lado", " Se te olvida", "

El Reloj "El reloj" () is a song of the bolero genre, with music and lyrics by Mexican composer and singer Roberto Cantoral, then a member of the Los Tres Caballeros trio. History Cantoral composed the song in 1956, in Washington D.C., in front of th ...

", "

Noche de Ronda "Noche de ronda" is a waltz written by Mexican songwriter and composer Agustín Lara and published in 1935. Mexican singer Elvira Ríos sang the song in the 1937 film ''¡Esos hombres!''. It became her signature song and one of the biggest hits of h ...

", "Rayito de Luna". Los Panchos are regarded as one of the top musical trios of all time and one of the most influential Latin American artists of all time. They sold out concerts around the globe for over 70 years and have appeared in more than 50 films. A characteristic instrument of Los Panchos and other Mexican ''tríos románticos'' since the 1950s is the

requinto guitar A requinto guitar is a smaller version of a classical guitar, with a scale length between 52-54cm. It is tuned a fourth higher than a standard classical guitar, to A2-D3-G3-C4-E4-A4. They often, but not always, have a cutout to reach the higher ...

, which is smaller and tuned higher than a standard guitar. Requinto solos are found in many bolero recordings by Los Panchos.

History

Los Panchos first met in 1944 in New York City. The three original members were

, and

, both from Mexico, and Hernando Avilés from Puerto Rico. All three played guitar and contributed vocally. Los Panchos reached fame with their romantic songs, especially in

where they are still regarded as one of the top trios of all time. They sold millions of records in Latin America and other countries. In the 1940s they collaborated with

Alfredo Antonini Alfredo Antonini (May 31, 1901 – November 3, 1983) was a leading Italian-American symphony conductor and composer who was active on the international concert stage as well as on the CBS radio and television networks from the 1930s through the e ...

's Viva America Orchestra with the orchestral accordionist

John Serry Sr. John Serry Sr. (born John Serrapica; January 29, 1915 – September 14, 2003) was an American concert accordionist, arranger, composer, organist, and educator. He performed on the CBS Radio and Television networks and contributed to Voice ...

in a recording of "La Palma" (a

cueca Cueca () is a family of musical styles and associated dances from Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. In Chile, the cueca holds the status of national dance, where it was officially declared as such by the Pinochet dictatorship on September 18, 19 ...

) and "Rosa Negra" (a

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

) for Pilotone Records (#45 5067, #45 5069). They also appeared in around 50 movies, mostly during the

Golden Age of Mexican cinema The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema (Spanish: la Época de Oro del Cine Mexicano), spanning the 1930s to 1950s, was a prolific era during which Mexico emerged as the leading film producer in Latin America. Filmmakers during this period tackled themes ...

. By 1946, the trio's exceptional virtuosity and authenticity had attracted the attention of

Edmund Chester Edmund Albert Chester Sr. (June 22, 1897 – October 14, 1973) was an American television executive. He served as a vice president and executive at the CBS radio and television networks during the 1940s. As Director of Latin American Relations he ...

at CBS Radio's Cadena de Las Americas (Network of the Americas). Los Panchos were immediately invited to perform as "musical ambassadors" on the network's '' Viva América'' program to support

cultural diplomacy Cultural diplomacy is a type of soft power that includes the "exchange of ideas, information, art, language and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster mutual understanding". The purpose of cultural diplomac ...

in twenty countries throughout Latin America and South America. Los Panchos began touring internationally in 1946 and would relocate later that same year to

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. They were welcomed with open arms and ''

XEW-AM XEW-AM (900 kHz) and XEW-FM (96.9 MHz) are commercial radio stations in Mexico City, Mexico, simulcasting a news/talk radio format branded as ''W Radio''. XEW serves as the flagship for other "W Radio" stations around Mexico that carry some or ...

'', the most popular radio station in Mexico City, reserved a time slot for their music. In 1951, Los Panchos launched another international tour across Latin America.

Julito Rodríguez Julito Rodríguez Reyes (October 5, 1925 - July 27, 2013) was a Puerto Rican bolero singer, guitarist & composer. Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez was acknowledged to be a child prodigy in music, becoming interested in this topic sinc ...

joined the group in 1952; he was replaced by Johnny Albino in 1958. In 1964, CBS proposed to the members of the trio, then made up of the two founding members and Johnny Albino, to accompany a female voice for the first time, the American vocalist of Judeo-Spanish descent

Eydie Gormé Eydie Gormé ( ; born Edith Gormezano; August 16, 1928 – August 10, 2013) was an American singer who achieved notable success in pop, Latin, and jazz genres. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with her husband, Steve Lawrence, on a ...

, who had several years of recording experience in the United States and who was just beginning to record in Spanish. The collaboration between Gormé and Los Panchos resulted in a series of bestselling albums in the 1960s such as Great Love Songs In Spanish (titled Amor, in Spanish). The Albino era was one of the most prosperous ones for Los Panchos, and classic albums from that time are still very popular among Los Panchos fans. His departure in 1968 was a tumultuous one, as he did not leave on good terms with the group's management. In 1971, Ovidio Hernández joined the band as lead vocalist, a part he would fulfill until his untimely passing from complications of

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, intense headache, vomiting and neck stiffness and occasion ...

in 1976. Following him, Rafael Basurto Lara joined as lead singer. Alfredo Gil played with Los Panchos until his retirement in 1981; he died in 1999. Chucho Navarro played with the group until his death in 1993. Currently the trio using the Los Panchos name is the Trio Los Panchos de Chucho Navarro Fundador ("Trio Los Panchos of Founder Chucho Navarro") under the direction of Chucho Navarro Jr., the son of original Los Panchos member Chucho Navarro.

Discography

* 1945 – Mexicantos * 1946 – La Palma (Trio Los Panchos and the Viva América Orchestra conducted by

with

)''La Palma'' interpreted by Los Panchos Triocirca 1946 on Archive.org
/ref> * 1949 – Ritmos tropicales * 1949 – Boleros selectos, Vol. 1 * 1950 – Los Panchos Favorites * 1955 – Boleros selectos, Vol. 2 * 1955 – Así cantan Los Panchos * 1956 – Canciones para una noche de lluvia * 1956 – Vaya con Dios * 1956 – Canciones del corazón * 1956 – South Of The Border –

Agustín Lara Ángel Agustín María Carlos Fausto Mariano Alfonso del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Lara y Aguirre del Pino (; ; October 30, 1897 – November 6, 1970), known as Agustín Lara, was a Mexican composer and performer of songs and boleros. He is rec ...

Hits * 1956 – Mexican Holiday * 1957 –

Eva Garza Eva Garza (May 11, 1917 – November 1, 1966) was a Mexican-American singer and film actress who acquired international recognition in the 1940s and 1950s during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. She collaborated on live radio shows and films wit ...

* 1958 – Un minuto de amor * 1959 – Trío Los Panchos y

Chucho Martínez Gil Chucho is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Chucho Avellanet (born 1941), Puerto Rican singer and comedic actor *Christian Benítez (1986–2013), Ecuadorian footballer nicknamed 'Chucho' *Chucho Castillo (born 1944), former Mexi ...

* 1959 – Siete notas de amor * 1960 – Los Panchos con Johnny Albino cantan * 1960 – Canciones del corazón * 1960 – Los favoritos de todo el mundo * 1960 – Los Panchos en Tokyo * 1961 – Ciudadanos del mundo * 1961 – Ambassadors of Song * 1961 – Ceguera de amor * 1961 – Los Panchos en Japón * 1962 – Época de oro * 1962 – Los Panchos cantan tangos * 1962 – El Trío Los Panchos interpreta

Guty Cárdenas Guty Cárdenas (1905–1932; full name Augusto Alejandro Cárdenas Pinelo) was a Mexican composer, singer and guitarist, noted as a representative of the ''cancion yucateca'' style of music. His well-known works include "Nunca", with lyrics by ...

* 1962 – El pecador * 1962 – México canta * 1962 – Favoritos latinos * 1963 – A mi madrecita * 1963 – Cantan a Paraguay * 1963 – Love Songs of the Tropics – Trio Los Panchos Sing the Songs of

Rafael Hernández Marín Rafael Hernández Marín (October 24, 1892 – December 11, 1965) was a Puerto Rican songwriter and the author of hundreds of popular songs in the Latin American repertoire. He specialized in Cuban styles, such as the canción, bolero and guarach ...

* 1963 – Romantic Guitars – El Trio Los Panchos Y Las Canciones De Pedro Flores * 1964 – By Special Request Sing Great Love Songs In English * 1964 – Caminemos * 1964 – Amor (Great Love Songs In Spanish) (with

) * 1964 – Los Panchos en el Japón * 1964 – Recuerdos... * 1965 – More Amor / Cuatro vidas (with

) * 1965 – El pescador de estrellas * 1965 – Obsesión * 1965 – Los Panchos en persona * 1965 – Horas nuestras * 1966 – Que no te cuenten cuentos * 1966 – Celoso * 1966 – Blanca Navidad / Navidad Means Christmas (with

) * 1967 – Los Panchos en estéreo, Vol. 1 * 1967 – Con éxitos de

Armando Manzanero Armando Manzanero Canché (7 December 1934 – 28 December 2020) was a Mexican musician, singer, composer, actor and music producer, widely considered the premier Mexican romantic composer of the postwar era and one of the most successful comp ...

* 1967 – En Venezuela * 1967 – Hey, Amigo! The Trío Los Panchos Sing Great Popular Country Hits in Spanish with

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vo ...

* 1968 – Los Panchos en estéreo, Vol. 2 * 1968 –

Gigliola Cinquetti Gigliola Cinquetti (; born Giliola Cinquetti on 20 December 1947) is an Italian singer, songwriter and television presenter. Life and career Gigliola Cinquetti was born into a wealthy family in Verona, Italy. At the age of 16, she debuted at ...

e il Trio Los Panchos in Messico * 1968 – Con mariachi * 1970 – Liliana * 1970 – Los Panchos En Japón, Vol. 2 * 1970 – Los Panchos Cantan a

* 1970 – Trío Los Panchos * 1971 – Volví la espalda * 1971 – Voces internacionales con Los Panchos * 1971 – Basura * 1971 – Háblame * 1972 – Lo dudo * 1972 – Frío en el alma * 1972 – Martha (with Estela Raval) * 1972 – Quiero * 1972 – Cantan al Perú * 1972 – Adulterio * 1972 – La hiedra * 1973 – El tiempo que te quede libre * 1973 – Tú me acostumbraste (with Estela Raval) * 1974 – Gil, Navarro y Hernández * 1974 – Yo lo comprendo * 1976 – Cantan a Latinoamérica * 1976 – Sabor a mí * 1977 – Si tú me dices ven (Lodo) * 1981 – España en la voz de Los Panchos * 1982 – Los Panchos en Brasil * 1985 – Homenaje a

Carlos Gardel Carlos Gardel (born Charles Romuald Gardès; 11 December 1890 – 24 June 1935) was a French-born Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential inter ...

* 1985 – La nave del olvido * 1989 – Esencia romántica * 1991 – Siglo veinte * 1991 – Triunfamos * 1991 – Hoy

References

External links

Official blog of Trio Los Panchos de Chucho Navarro Fundador
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panchos, Los Columbia Records artists Mexican musical groups Mexican musical trios Musical groups established in 1944