History
Los Panchos were first formed in 1944 in
New York City by
Alfredo Gil (Mexican),
Chucho Navarro (Mexican) and Hernando Aviles (from Puerto Rico). Each member of Los Panchos played a
guitar and sang with unequalled harmony.
Los Panchos reached fame internationally with their romantic songs, especially in
Latin America, where they are still regarded as one of the top trios of all time. They sold millions of
album copies within a few years of being founded.
Between 1946 to 1948, Los Panchos performed in the
United States, including a performance at
Radio City Music Hall in
New York City.Los Panchos first began touring internationally in 1946. Later that year, Los Panchos moved to
Mexico, considered the capital of Spanish-language music where many Latin and Iberian artists have jumped to international fame. They were welcomed with open arms and
XEW-AM
, the most popular radio station in
Mexico City, reserved a time slot for their music. In 1951, Los Panchos launched another international tour across Latin America.
[1]
Julito Rodriguez joined the group in 1952; he was replaced by
Johnny Albino in 1958. Johnny Albino & Chucho Navarro, (Miguel Poventud and Yomo Toro were studio musicians for CBS) famously worked with singer
Eydie Gorme on a series of bestselling albums in the 1960's. The Albino era was one of the most prosperous ones for Los Panchos whose classic albums are very popular among Los Panchos fans still. His departure in 1968 was a tumultuous one, as he did not leave on good terms with the group's management. Alfredo Gil played with Los Panchos until his retirement in 1981 and Chucho Navarro played with the group until his death in 1993.
Trio Los Panchos is currently under the musical direction of
Gabriel Vargas Aguilar, the adopted son of co-founder Gill. The new Los Panchos, now based in
Veracruz, Mexico, still continue to perform concerts across
Mexico,
Latin America, and the
United States, with a newer cast of singers.
[2]