The death late Tuesday of Antonio Aguilar, the legendary Mexican mariachi singer and actor, hit close to home for Tucsonans who followed his international career through the decades.
"He was one of Mexico's icons — it's a huge loss," said Maria Elena Castañeda, 73.
Aguilar, 88, had waged a long fight with pneumonia. Castañeda had kept tabs on his deteriorating condition through Spanish-language television.
"His death wasn't unexpected, but it's still sad," she said of Aguilar, who brought his famed International Mexican Rodeo Festival to Tucson.
He was the first Mexican entertainer to mix concerts with rodeos in shows that featured his actress-singer wife, Flor Silvestre and their two children, Toño and Pepe. In the 1970s, the family took the show to major cities in the United States and Latin America.
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"He opened doors for those who came later," Castañeda said of Aguilar, known as El Charro de Mexico. She watched many of his films, including those made during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
Aguilar appeared in 167 movies, making his film debut in 1952 with Pedro Infante in the movie "Un Rincón Cerca del Cielo," a corner near heaven. In 1959, he starred with John Wayne in "The Undefeated."
Aguilar, who was born in Zacatecas state, was among Castañeda's favorite Mexican stars. "Besides being a good singer and actor, he was charismatic, down-to-earth and a family man."
José Cha, a Sonora native who has lived in Tucson about 20 years, echoed Castañeda's sentiments. "He represented Mexico well," said Cha, 57.
His admiration for Aguilar grew stronger after Cha first saw Aguilar perform live in the mid-1970s in Cananea, and later, in Tucson. "His shows were amazing," Cha recalled. "He was my idol — a great Mexican charro."
Ramon López, 52, said Aguilar was part of an epic era that won't be easily forgotten. Added Carmen Gonzales, 65: "He will live on through his music and his movies."