Antonio Ríos

Argentine tropical pop singer Antonio Ríos was born on August 17, 1954, in the small town of La Escondida, Chaco. When he was just a child, his father left for Buenos Aires in search of new working opportunities after the factory he worked in was shut down. During this time, he and his siblings lived in extreme poverty and it wasn't until a few years later that the entire family had the chance to improve their living conditions by relocating to Villa Fiorito, a humble neighborhood in the Buenos Aires Province. Antonio Ríos spent his teenage years divided between his two main passions: football and music. Ultimately, he opted for the latter after his team El Porvenir frustrated a promising deal with Racing Club. By the time he was 15, he had already become a versatile singer, effortlessly tackling genres like tango, popular music, and folklore. Following a series of short stints as lead vocalist for the cumbia groups Green, Sombras, and Malagata, Antonio Ríos finally decided to embark on a solo career in 1994. Following the release of his studio debut La Gata in 1995, he achieved both domestic and international acclaim with 1996's El Maestro, which included his signature song "Nunca Me Faltes." The album quickly obtained platinum status and was followed by the equally successful Sigue Siendo el Maestro in 1997. Shortly after releasing A Toda Voz in 1998, Antonio Ríos became the first tropical artist to receive a diamond record. In subsequent years, "El Maestro" continued honing his craft while exploring Argentine popular music on albums like Para Mi Tierra Querida (2006), Homenaje a los Grandes del Chamamé (2014), and Cuarteto al Estilo del Maestro (2019).