Luis Ricardo Aguirre, known professionally as Ricky Maravilla, is an Argentine tropical music singer, musician, and composer who was born in Salta, Argentina, on February 7, 1946. After his adolescence, Aguirre had to choose between pursuing a career in electronic engineering—which included proposals to work in Australia—or signing a contract with a record company to perform with the group Maravilla Tropical. He chose the musical path, taking his stage name from the band. In the early 1980s, he began appearing on television after recording the song “Cuide Bien a su Marido” for the label Microfon under producer Rubén Lotes. In 1986, he released the song “El Hombre Gato” on the Leader Music label, which became a regional hit in northern Argentina, opening the doors to hundreds of local dances across Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán, Mendoza, and San Juan, and selling fifteen thousand copies. He followed this success with “La Pelea del Siglo”. In 1988, he recorded his breakthrough album, Salvaje, on Leader Music. Its lead single, “Salvaje Soy Salvaje”, became highly successful and entered national dance-floor charts, leading to performances in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and other major venues. The album also produced hits like “Camarón”, “El Gallo y la Pata”, and “Caramelo de Limón”. In 1989, songwriter Fabio Espinosa composed the song “Qué tendrá el petiso” specifically for Aguirre, which became a massive national hit. In 1995, Aguirre received a Konex Award for his ten-year trajectory as a leading bailanta and cuarteto singer. He also starred as himself in the 1992 film Extermineitors IV: Como hermanos gemelos. In March 1999, Aguirre officially launched a Peronist mayoral candidacy for Salta but withdrew before the election.
