Mexican singer and songwriter Armando Manzanero, known as the king of romance, died on Monday of covid-19 after spending several days intubated in a hospital, Mexican Culture Secretary Alejandra Frausto confirmed. He was 85 years old.
“I deeply regret the death of master Armando Manzanero, one of the greatest composers in Mexico, his songs are a definite part of the sentimental education of Mexicans,” Mexican Culture Secretary Alejandra Frausto announced online.
“Generous and smiling, always committed to culture. Thank you for so much,” the official added.
After learning the news, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador received a few words of appreciation for the artist and closed his morning press conference.
“I have perceived like never before that Armando Manzanero was a man of the people, so I am very sorry for his death. A great composer, also a representative of Mexican authors and composers,” the president said.
“We send our families and friends, all the composers, condolences for this unfortunate loss to the art world and I do not want to continue with this press conference and nothing else ends,” continued López Obrador, who had the song “Adoro” by Manzanero to end the press conference.
The author of the classics of Mexican romantic music, such as “We’re Loved,” “I’ll Turn Off the Light,” “I Learned With You,” “I Saw It Rained This Afternoon,” and “No,” he was hospitalized in Mexico City last week after given positive to covid-19 and intubated days then.
The last public appearance of Manzanero, president of the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico, took place on December 11 last year in Mérida, the capital of Yucatán, where he inaugurated the Casa Manzanero Museum.
Manzanero (Mérida, Yucatán, 1935) leaves behind an unforgettable legacy in the history of Spanish music, countless records sold and countless recognitions, such as the 2014 Grammy Honorary Award.
Aware of the bolero tradition and extremely sensitive, the composer linked the audience with songs that have been covered over the years by artists such as Elvis Presley, with “It’s Impossible”, an English version of “We Are Loved”, Dionne Warwick, Tony Bennett, Alejandro Fernández and Christina Aguilera.
In addition to being a pianist, performer and producer, the composer Manzanero was born in 1950 with “Never in the World” and has more than 400 songs.
He has released over 30 albums, including “Somos novios” (1968), Corazón Salvaje (1977), “Nada personal” (1995) and “Duetos”, which earned him a Grammy for Best Vocal Album for group or duo in 2001.
With 1.4 million infections and 122,000 deaths, Mexico is the fourth country in the world with the highest total number of deaths due to the pandemic, behind the US, Brazil and India.
His life
Manzanero is the author of Mexican romantic music classics such as “Somos novios”, “I will turn off the light”, “I learned with you”, “This afternoon I saw that it was raining” and “No”, a few weeks ago he revealed to Ephesus that he feels happy to receive awards in life.
“I am rewarded for life,” said the composer a few weeks ago, who has children Martha Manzanero Arjona, Juan Pablo Manzanero Blum, as well as Mainca and Rodrigo.
The so-called “King of Romanticism” received the Billboard Award for his career a few months ago.
Authorities in Mexico and Mérida, the capital of Yucatán, awarded the “Path of Nostalgia” in his honor to share important scenarios in the artist’s life with national, local and international visitors.