Armando Manzanero

Armando Manzanero Canché (7 December 1935 – 28 December 2020) was a Mexican musician, singer, and composer of Maya descent, widely considered the premier Mexican romantic composer of the postwar era and one of the most successful composers of Latin America. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in United States in 2014. He was the president of the Mexican Society of Authors and Composers (Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México).

At the age of eight he was introduced into the world of music in the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) of his native city, later furthering his musical studies in Mexico City. In 1950, at the age of fifteen, he composed his first melody titled Nunca en el Mundo (Never in the World), of which twenty-one versions in different languages have been recorded to date. The following year he began his professional career as a pianist.

In 1957 he was signed as musical director by the Mexican branch of CBS International and as Musical Promoter for EMI, becoming the next year the pianist of Latin American artists such as Pedro Vargas, Lucho Gatica and Raphael.

In 1959, an executive of RCA Victor urged him to record his first album of love songs, which he named Mi Primera Grabación (My First Record).

In 1965 he won the first place of the Festival de la Canción (Song Festival) in Miami with the song Cuando Estoy Contigo (When I'm With You).

In 1970, his song "Somos Novios" was reissued with new lyrics by Sid Wayne, composer for Elvis Presley. The English version, "It's Impossible", was performed by Perry Como and was nominated for a Grammy.

In 1978 he won the first place of the Mallorca Festival in Spain, with the song Señor Amor (Mister Love). In 1982, the song Corazón Amigo (Heart Friend), was honored in the Yamaha Festival. In 1993 Billboard magazine gave him an award for his excellent musical career.

In 2011, Manzanero became President of and one of the main directors of the Asociación Nacional de Autores y Compositores (Mexican National Association of Authors and Composers). He also served as Vice President of the association From 1982 through 2011. His work in defense of copyright laws has strengthened this organization and has given it international acclaim.

His work has been performed by singers such as Tito Rodriguez, Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli, Raquel Bitton Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley, Laura Pausini, Alejandro Fernández, Perry Como, Luis Miguel, Franck Pourcel, Paul Mauriat, Ray Conniff, María Martha Serra Lima, Mina, Claudio Nicoletti, Raphael, Roberto Carlos, Christina Aguilera, Manoella Torres, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Angelica Maria, José José, Tania Libertad, Lucero, Cristian Castro, and Il Divo, Carmen París, as well as with pianist Raúl di Blasio and others.

Manzanero composed more than four hundred songs, fifty of which have given him international fame. He participated in numerous radio and television shows, recorded more than thirty albums, and composed the musical scores of several movies. During the fifty years of his musical career, Manzanero gave performances all over Latin America, particularly in São Paulo (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), El Metropolitan (Mexico), the Teresa Carreño Theater of Caracas (Venezuela), Madison Square Garden (New York), and many other prestigious cities of Europe and Asia.

His most famous songs include Voy a apagar la luz (I'm Going to Turn Off the Lights), Contigo Aprendí ( With you I Learnt... ), Adoro (I Adore), No sé tú (I don't know if you...), Por Debajo de la Mesa (Underneath the Table) Esta Tarde Vi Llover (English version "Yesterday I Heard the Rain"), Somos Novios (English version "It's Impossible"), Felicidad (Happiness) and Nada Personal (Nothing Personal).

On 17 December 2020, Manzanero was hospitalized in Mexico City after being diagnosed with COVID-19. His health deteriorated and was intubated on 23 December. Manzanero died five days later from the virus, aged 85.

Manzanero was presented with the Excellence Award at the 1993 Lo Nuestro Awards. He received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 as well as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. Manzanero has been inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2000, the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. Manznero was presented with the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award in 2010.He also earned the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.