Marito Gonzalez

With a lengthy career spanning five decades and several hits under his belt, Mario Rubén González (June 16, 1949), professionally known as Jairo, is one of Argentina's most emblematic singer-songwriters. Born in Cruz del Eje, Córdoba, he began singing during his childhood and later formed the group The Twister Boys. Under the name Marito Gónzalez, he issued the album Muy Juvenil in 1965. A few years later, he changed his stage name to Jairo and was discovered by singer Luis Aguilé, who helped him land a record deal with CBS. In 1971, he went into exile after the Argentine government was overthrown by a military coup, settling down in Spain. During his stint in Europe, Jairo enjoyed a great deal of success with albums like Por Si Tú Quieres Saber (1972), Si Vuelves Será Cansancio (1973), De Qué Me Sirve Todo Eso (1975), and Jairo Canta a Borges (1977), a collection of musicalized poems by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. After dazzling French audiences with singer Nana Mouskouri on the song "Cucurrucucú Paloma," he relocated to France and gained considerable popularity in the 80s through singles like "Les Jardins du Ciel," "Tes Mots Caressent Ma Vie," "Tout a Changé un Jour," and "Ay, Amor de Cada Día." Following his return to Argentina in 1993, Jairo continued his exploration of popular music on the albums Cielos (1994), Estampitas (1997), Che, Diario del Regreso (2000), and Criollo (2007). In 2021, he celebrated his 50th anniversary in the music industry with Jairo 50 Años de Música, an album featuring some of Argentina's greatest musical talents, including Pedro Aznar, Juan Carlos Baglietto, Víctor Heredia, Luciano Pereyra, Raly Barrionuevo, Marcela Morelo, Abel Pintos, Lisandro Aristimuño, and Nahuel Pennisi.