Rigoberto Tovar García (March 29, 1946 – March 27, 2005), better known as Rigo Tovar, was a Mexican musician. Famous for his

cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Africans during colonial times. Cumbia is said to have com ...

s, Tovar infused traditional Mexican and

Latin music Latin music (Portuguese language, Portuguese and ) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Music of Latin America, Latin America, Music of Spain, Spain, Mu ...

with modern instruments like the electric guitar and synthesizer and popular styles such as

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

and cumbia. Tovar was born and raised in

Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Bro ...

. After moving to Houston, Texas, his musical career began to take off in the early 1970s. Blending cumbia, tropical, and modern rock, he quickly gained a large following. In 1971, Tovar released his first album entitled '' Matamoros Querido'' which garnered two hits, "Matamoros Querido" and "Lamento De Amor". During his career, he sold over 30 million albums, and his work continues to influence artists across genres.

Biography

Through extensive radio play and touring in Mexico and the United States, Tovar achieved great popularity and success. 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 1976 album, ''Amor y Cumbia'' take 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. Tovar's other hits include "La Sirenita", "Te tendré que olvidar", "¡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; however, his music remains popular today. Tovar's musical group, El Conjunto Costa Azul, has gone through numerous line-up changes over the years and is still active today. In 1979, Tovar broke the 300,000-person attendance record set in

Monterrey Monterrey (, , abbreviated as MtY) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is the ninth-largest city and the second largest metropolitan area, after Greater Mexico City. Located at the foothills of th ...

Nuevo León Nuevo León, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nuevo León, is a Administrative divisions of Mexico, state in northeastern Mexico. The state borders the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí, San Luis ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

earlier that year by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

when the artist performed a free concert. Some newspapers reporting on the new attendance record even ran headlines declaring that Tovar was "Bigger than the Pope". Tovar also starred in several movies including ''Vivir Para Amar'' (1980), ''Rigo Es Amor'' (1980), and ''El Gran Triunfo'' (1981). On March 27, 2005, just days shy of his 59th birthday, Tovar died from diabetic complications leading to cardio-respiratory failure. His funeral was held behind closed doors in a notable funeral home located in

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 ...

, 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.

Legacy

In honor of his legacy, Tovar's hometown of Matamoros, Tamaulipas renamed a main avenue located in the northwest part of the city, Avenida Rigo Tovar.Milenio.com: Recuerdan a Rigo Tovar en Matamoros
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Discography

Select albums

*1972: '' Matamoros Querido'' *1973: '' Cómo Será La Mujer'' *1974: '' En La Cumbre'' *1975: '' En Acción'' *1976: '' Te Quiero Dijiste... '' *1976: ''Rigo Tovar Y Su Conjunto Costa Azul'' *1976: '' Amor Y Cumbia'' *1977: '' Dos Tardes De Mi Vida'' *1978: '' ¡Oh, Qué Gusto De Volverte A Ver!'' *1979: ''Con Mariachi Vol. 1'' *1979: '' Reflexiona'' *1980: ''Rigo Tovar En Vivo'' *1980: ''Con Mariachi Vol. 2'' *1980: ''Rigo Rock'' *1981: ''Rigo '81'' *1982: ''10 Años Tropicalísimo'' *1982: ''Sublime Y Bohemio'' *1984: ''De Nuevo En Contacto Musical'' *1985: ''El Músico Chiflado'' *1986: ''Quítate La Máscara'' *1986: ''Con Mariachi Vol. 3'' *1989: ''La Fiera'' *1989: ''Baila Mi Ritmo'' *1990: ''El Sirenito'' *1993: ''Rigo El Guapo'' *1994: ''Éxitos Con Banda Vol 1'' *1994: ''Exitos Con Banda Vol 2 ''

Select compilations

*1990: ''Los Últimos Éxitos De Rigo Tovar'' *1990: ''El Ritmo Del Sirenito'' *2003: ''Sigue Bailando Mi Ritmo'' *2005: ''La Historia De Un Ídolo'' *2006: ''Mi Tinajita Y Muchos Éxitos Más...''

Select hits

*"Matamoros Querido" *"Lamento De Amor" - Number-one hit in Mexico *"Recordando Monterrey" *"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" *"Mi Amiga, Mi Esposa y Mi Amante" *"Cuando Tu Cariño"

External links

* *

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...

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Rigo Tovar FansMuseum of Rigo Tovar in Internet

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tovar, Rigo Mexican male songwriters Male songwriters People from Matamoros, Tamaulipas People with vitiligo 1946 births 2005 deaths Diabetes-related deaths Musicians from Houston Latin music songwriters Blind artists 20th-century Mexican male singers