Francisco Canaro
Band leaderName
Francisco Canaro
About
A violinist, bandleader and composer, Francisco Canaro was a major figure in the early history of the tango. Although his career played out primarily in Argentina, Canaro, like many tango musicians, was born in Uruguay. Like many other Old Guard composers, but unlike the New Guard figures that came along in the 1920s, Canaro had little musical education, having been born into poverty. Nevertheless, he achieved remarkable longevity as a popular bandleader, becoming a proponent of the "traditionalist" style in contrast to that of "evolutionists" like Julio De Caro. Despite his traditionalism, Canaro was a pioneer: his was the first tango band to incorporate the bass (played by Afro-Argentine pioneer Leopoldo Thompson) and to include singers, who up to that point had only performed with guitar accompaniment. He toured Europe, recorded thousands of tangos, famously made a fortune, and became a key figure in the struggle to achieve legal copyright for composers in Argentina.
Role(s)
Band leader
Musician
Performer
Birth date
November 26, 1888
Death date
December 14, 1964
Genre
A violinist, bandleader and composer, Francisco Canaro was a major figure in the early history of the tango. Although his career played out primarily in Argentina, Canaro, like many tango musicians, was born in Uruguay. Like many other Old Guard composers, but unlike the New Guard figures that came along in the 1920s, Canaro had little musical education, having been born into poverty. Nevertheless, he achieved remarkable longevity as a popular bandleader, becoming a proponent of the "traditionalist" style in contrast to that of "evolutionists" like Julio De Caro. Despite his traditionalism, Canaro was a pioneer: his was the first tango band to incorporate the bass (played by Afro-Argentine pioneer Leopoldo Thompson) and to include singers, who up to that point had only performed with guitar accompaniment. He toured Europe, recorded thousands of tangos, famously made a fortune, and became a key figure in the struggle to achieve legal copyright for composers in Argentina.
