Antonio Aguilar
He became the face of Mexican ranchera music and charrería, riding his horse onto international stages and into over 120 films.
1919–2007 (age 88)·Mexican singer and actor·Birthday: May 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Antonio Aguilar was born into a ranching family in Zacatecas, and that rural heartland never left him. He began singing on local radio, his powerful voice carrying the stories of the Mexican countryside. His move to film in the 1940s launched a dual career where he often starred as the singing charro, a romanticized horseman and folk hero. Aguilar didn't just play a part; he lived it, becoming a master of charrería and performing daring equestrian stunts himself. He and his wife, singer Flor Silvestre, turned their family into a touring musical dynasty, with their son Antonio Jr. and daughter Pepe Aguilar continuing the legacy. His recordings, filled with corridos, rancheras, and huapangos, sold tens of millions, making him a pillar of Mexican cultural identity both at home and for diaspora communities abroad.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Antonio was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Antonio Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Antonio's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 70
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 80
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2007Died at 88
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Recorded more than 150 albums, with sales exceeding 25 million copies worldwide.
- Starred in over 120 films, often performing his own horseback stunts.
- Popularized the Mexican equestrian tradition of charrería on a global scale through his performances.
- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to recording.
Did You Know?
He once purchased an entire bullfighting ring in Mexico City to preserve it as a cultural venue.
His signature song, 'Triste Recuerdo', was written about a real-life romantic heartbreak.
He was a skilled polo player and often incorporated the sport into his films.
He and his family's touring show included a caravan of trucks carrying over 100 horses.
“El que canta sus males espanta.”
