Charly García facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charly García
Portrait of García by Alejandro Kuropatwa, 1989
Born	Carlos Alberto García (1951-10-23) October 23, 1951 (age 73) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Occupation	Musician singer songwriter producer pianist
Years active	1967–present
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Children	Migue García
Parent(s)	Carlos Jaime García Lange Carmen Moreno
Musical career
Genres	Rock pop folk jazz experimental new wave jazz fusion classical
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards bass guitar
Labels	Universal Music Group Sony Music

Carlos Alberto García Moreno (born October 23, 1951), known as Charly García, is an Argentine singer, songwriter, and musician. He is one of the most important rock musicians from Argentina and Latin America. Many call him "the father of Argentine rock nacional".

Charly García is famous for his many albums, both with his bands and as a solo artist. His music mixes different styles like folk rock, progressive rock, symphonic rock, jazz, new wave, pop rock, and funk rock. His songs often talk about important social topics in Argentina, especially during the time of the military government.

When he was a teenager, Charly started the folk-rock band Sui Generis with his friend Nito Mestre in the early 1970s. They released three popular albums with songs that became very famous in Argentina. After Sui Generis, Charly joined other important bands like PorSuiGieco and La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros. He then formed Serú Girán in the late 1970s, which became one of the most important bands in Argentine music history. Their songs often challenged the military government.

After these bands, Charly García started a successful solo career in 1982. He released many popular albums like Clics modernos (1983) and Piano Bar (1984). He continued to release successful albums throughout the 1980s and beyond.

Charly García has received many awards for his music. In 1985, he won the Konex Platino Award. In 2009, he received a Grammy Award for Musical Excellence. He also won the Gardel de Oro Award three times (2002, 2003, and 2018). In 2010, he was named an Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires, and in 2013, he received an honorary doctorate from the National University of General San Martín.

Biography

Early years

Carlos Alberto García was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 23, 1951. His family was middle-class. His father, Carlos Jaime García Lange, owned a factory, and his mother, Carmen Moreno, took care of the children. Charly had three younger brothers. The family lived in a large apartment in the Caballito neighborhood. Charly loved to draw dinosaurs at the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences. He was fascinated by dinosaurs, planets, and Greek myths as a child.

In 1959, his family faced financial problems when the factory closed. They lost their home and had to move to a rented apartment. His father became a teacher, and his mother started producing radio and TV shows about tango and Argentine folk music. Famous folk musicians often visited their home, and young Charly would play the piano for them.

Music was a big part of Charly's life from a very young age. At two, he could play a zither by ear. Later, his grandmother gave him a toy piano. When his parents went to Europe, Charly learned to play a Neapolitan song called "Torna a Surriento" by ear from a music box. His mother was amazed and bought him a real piano.

In 1956, his parents enrolled him in the Thibaud Piazzini Conservatory. He also took private piano lessons at home with a strict teacher named Julieta Sandoval. Charly's first public performance was at age four, where he played two classical pieces.

As a child, Charly loved classical music and spent hours playing works by Chopin and Mozart. He also wanted to compose his own music, but his teacher didn't encourage it. In 1960, at age nine, he wrote his first song, "Corazón de hormigón" ("Concrete Heart").

In 1962, a TV show called "El Club del Clan" became popular in Buenos Aires. It featured young singers performing new rock and roll and twist songs in Spanish. This show made Charly start to move away from classical music. He composed "Corazón de hormigón" after an argument with his mother while watching the show. Years later, in 2010, he recorded this song with Palito Ortega.

In 1964, at age twelve, Charly heard The Beatles for the first time, and it changed his life completely. He felt it was "Martian music" and immediately understood that young people could play their own instruments and write their own songs. This moment ended his path as a classical musician. He wanted an electric guitar and grew his hair long.

Charly's mother always believed in his talent. She once said that she knew he was special from a young age. Famous folk singer Mercedes Sosa even compared him to Chopin when she heard him play.

In 1965, Charly started high school at the Instituto Social Militar Dr. Dámaso Centeno. During this time, Argentina was under military rule, with unstable governments. Charly often skipped classes to play piano in the school auditorium.

He formed his first band, To Walk Spanish, with friends. They wrote their own songs in English. Charly played guitar. One of their covers, "Feel a Whole Lot Better" by The Byrds, he later included in his album Filosofía barata y Zapatos de goma with new Spanish lyrics.

First Period - Music groups

Sui Generis (1972–1975)

Charly García met Nito Mestre in high school. In 1968, their bands merged to form Sui Generis. Charly chose the name to show their unique musical style and to celebrate being different.

The band started as a sextet, with Charly on vocals, keyboards, and guitar, and Nito on vocals and flute. Charly composed the music, and his friend Carlos Piegari wrote most of the lyrics. They even wrote a rock opera called "Teo."

Sui Generis focused on vocal harmonies. They took singing lessons together. Charly was inspired by the American band Vanilla Fudge, especially their use of the organ and symphonic rock.

In 1969, Sui Generis performed at their high school graduation party. As they finished school, the band members started going their separate ways. In 1970, they performed at the Club Italiano, which Charly considers their official debut.

A music producer named Pierre Bayona discovered Sui Generis and believed in their talent, especially Charly's. In 1971, the band performed as an opening act for other groups. However, many members couldn't make it, so Charly and Nito had to perform as a duo. This surprise performance in Mar del Plata was a big success.

Nito Mestre remembered being scared but Charly encouraged him. People loved their acoustic sound. They continued to play often in Buenos Aires. There, they met María Rosa Yorio, who became Charly's partner and a backup singer for Sui Generis.

In late 1971, Charly was drafted into the Army for mandatory military service. He was sent home and discharged a few days later due to health issues. He wrote about this experience in the song "Botas locas."

By mid-1972, after many attempts, Pierre Bayona finally got the duo an audition with producers Billy Bond and Jorge Álvarez. They were impressed by Charly's piano skills and agreed to record a single and an album.

In February 1973, Sui Generis released their first album, Vida. It was produced by Jorge Álvarez. The duo was joined by other musicians, including Claudio Gabis and Alejandro Medina from the band Manal. Key songs included "Canción para mi muerte", "Necesito", and "Quizás porque". These songs became very popular and are still loved today. "Canción para mi muerte" is considered one of the best Argentine rock songs.

The album was a huge success. Biographer Sergio Marchi said that Sui Generis's songs were simple and spoke to teenagers, helping them express their feelings. Fito Páez, another famous musician, said Charly created a new way of telling stories in pop music.

Some older rock musicians thought Sui Generis was "soft" compared to their heavier rock style. However, Sui Generis became very popular, especially among young people and women.

In October 1973, Sui Generis released their second album, Confesiones de invierno ("Winter Confessions"). With this album, they wanted to show that they were a rock band and not just a romantic pop duo. This album was more polished and recorded with better equipment. The title song, "Confesiones de invierno," talks about the challenges of being an artist.

This album also had many classic songs like "Rasguña las piedras", which is considered one of the best Argentine rock songs. Other popular songs included "Cuando ya me empiece a quedar solo" and "Aprendizaje." The album sold very well, proving that Sui Generis's success was not a one-time thing.

By 1974, Sui Generis was no longer just a duo. They became a quartet with Rinaldo Rafanelli on bass and Juan Rodríguez on drums. Their third album, Pequeñas anécdotas sobre las instituciones ("Small Anecdotes About Institutions"), was released towards the end of the year.

This album surprised everyone with its symphonic rock style and new electronic instruments. It also had strong political messages, criticizing society's "institutions" like the military and censorship. Some lyrics had to be changed, and two songs, "Botas locas" and "Juan Represión," were removed to avoid problems with the government. Years later, these songs were added back to the album.

The album was praised by critics but didn't sell as well as the previous ones. People wanted the older, simpler Sui Generis sound. Because of this, Charly decided to end Sui Generis. As a farewell, they held two huge concerts at Luna Park, the biggest indoor stadium in Argentina. More than 25,000 people attended, setting a record for Argentine rock. The concerts were recorded and released as a double album, Adiós Sui Géneris, parte I & parte II.

In March 1976, a military government took power in Argentina, leading to a period of fear and violence. In September 1976, the film Adiós Sui Géneris was released, showing the historic concerts.

PorSuiGieco (1974–1976)

In 1974, Charly García joined a "supergroup" of musicians called PorSuiGieco y su Banda de Avestruces Domadas. The group included Charly, Raúl Porchetto, Nito Mestre, León Gieco, and María Rosa Yorio. They wanted to have fun playing music together. Their name combined the first parts of the men's last names.

They started performing in May 1974 and went on tour. In 1976, they recorded an album called PorSuiGieco. The album had to be careful with its lyrics because of the political situation in Argentina. One song, "El fantasma de Canterville", was removed from the album at first but later included.

La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros (1976–1977)

After PorSuiGieco, Charly García started a new band called La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros ("The Bird-Making Machine"). The name came from an Argentine comic strip. The band included Carlos Cutaia (keyboards), Gustavo Bazterrica (guitar), José Luis Fernández (bass), and Oscar Moro (drums).

La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was known for its complex symphonic rock style. Charly used two keyboard players at once, which was new for Argentine bands. They were very careful with their sound, but the band didn't become very popular with critics or the public.

During this time, the military government in Argentina created a lot of fear. Charly was worried and stayed home as much as possible. The band debuted in Cosquín and played regularly at a club called La Bola Loca.

In 1977, Charly and María Rosa Yorio had a son, Miguel Ángel García. However, their relationship ended a few months later. Charly then met Marisa "Zoca" Pederneiras, a Brazilian dancer, who became his partner and inspired some of his songs.

La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros recorded a second album, Películas. Their first album had been the most expensive to produce in Argentine rock history. In 1977, Charly was criticized in a newspaper for making "foreign" music. This inspired him to write the songs "Los sobrevivientes" and "A los jóvenes de ayer."

The band's last performance was at the Festival del Amor in November 1977, at Luna Park.

Serú Girán (1978–1982)

In 1977, Charly García decided to leave La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros. He traveled to Brazil with his friend David Lebón, another musician. They rented a house in Búzios, near Rio de Janeiro, to escape the military government in Argentina. Charly was influenced by Brazilian musicians like Milton Nascimento.

Back in Buenos Aires, Charly looked for new bandmates. He found Pedro Aznar, a talented 19-year-old bass player, and his former bandmate Oscar Moro on drums. The new band was called Serú Girán, with Charly García (vocals, keyboards), David Lebón (vocals, guitars), Pedro Aznar (bass, vocals), and Oscar Moro (drums). Charly and David wrote most of the songs.

In 1978, Billy Bond produced their first album, Serú Girán. The band's music had complex melodies and lyrics that described life under the Argentine dictatorship. Serú Girán quickly became very popular, winning many awards from Pelo magazine for best musicians, composer, and live group.

However, their first concert in 1978 was not well received. The audience expected something like Sui Generis, but Serú Girán had a new sound with Aznar's unique bass playing and poetic lyrics. They even played a joke song called "Disco Shock" to mock the popular disco music trend, which confused the audience. The press called them "the worst band."

Despite the initial cold reception, Serú Girán believed in their music and kept performing. In 1979, they released their second album, La Grasa de las Capitales ("The Grease of The Capitals"). The album cover made fun of a magazine that had criticized them. The songs had strong lyrics that criticized the media and popular music. This album was very popular with the public.

In 1980, Serú Girán released Bicicleta ("Bicycle"). The band's sound was more mature, with modern music and strong melodies. During the military dictatorship, their songs often had hidden political messages to avoid censorship. For example, "Canción de Alicia en el país" ("Song of Alice in The Country") cleverly compared the Argentine dictatorship to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

Serú Girán became so successful that they were called "The Argentine Beatles." They were the first rock band to be popular with both wealthy and working-class people. Luis Alberto Spinetta, another famous Argentine rock star, and his band Spinetta Jade, played with Serú Girán in 1980, ending rumors of a rivalry between them.

In 1981, Serú Girán released their fourth album, Peperina. The title was inspired by a student who criticized the band. The album also had a political message. The song "José Mercado" was a parody of the Minister of Economy at the time, criticizing his policies.

In early 1982, Pedro Aznar left the band to study music in Boston. Serú Girán played a farewell show for Pedro at the Obras Sanitarias stadium, which was recorded and released as No llores por mí, Argentina ("Don't Cry for Me, Argentina"). After Pedro left, the band broke up because Charly and David Lebón wanted to start solo careers.

In 2019, the remaining members of Serú Girán announced that their album La grasa de las capitales would be re-released with improved sound.

Second Period - Solo career

Early solo success (1982–1985)

In 1982, Argentina was going through big political changes after the Falklands War. Charly García started his solo career with two albums: Pubis Angelical, which was a movie soundtrack, and Yendo de la cama al living ("Going from the bed to the living room").

This album had four hit songs:

• "No bombardeen Buenos Aires" ("Don't bomb Buenos Aires") showed the fear in the city during the Falklands War and criticized the military government.
• "Yendo de la cama al living" used the feeling of being stuck at home to symbolize the repression of ideas.
• "Inconsciente colectivo" ("Collective unconscious") was a message of hope and freedom for the Argentine people.
• "Yo no quiero volverme tan loco" ("I don't want to go so crazy") was about the spirit of freedom and rebellion.

Charly performed these songs at a big concert in December at the Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium. During "No bombardeen Buenos Aires," props of Buenos Aires were destroyed with fireworks.

(Left): García with former bandmate Nito Mestre in 1982; (right): with Luis Alberto Spinetta in 1984

In 1983, Charly went to New York and returned with a new album called Clics Modernos ("Modern Clicks"). It had a fresh sound that was different from other Argentine rock music. You could sing and dance to it.

On December 10, 1983, Argentina became a democracy again. Charly performed many successful shows in 1984 and recorded another album, Piano Bar, which completed his "golden trilogy" of solo albums. He also recorded a movie soundtrack called Terapia intensiva ("Intensive Care").

During these years, many future Argentine music stars played in Charly's band, including Andrés Calamaro, Fito Páez, and Fabiana Cantilo.

Massive stardom and classic albums (1985–1989)

After the success of Piano Bar, Charly slowed down a bit in 1985. He met Pedro Aznar in New York, and they recorded an album together called Tango. It had interesting music but didn't sell widely because of limited distribution.

Charly García in a 1989 photograph by Alejandro Kuropatwa

In 1987, García released Parte de la Religión ("Part of the Religion"), which had many hit songs. "No voy en tren" ("I don't take the train") and "Necesito tu amor" ("I need your love") showed the different sides of Charly's personality. This album also included "Rezo por vos" ("I pray for you"), a song from a project with Luis Alberto Spinetta that was never finished.

In 1988, Charly, at 36, acted for the first time in the movie Lo que vendrá ("What is to Come"), for which he also composed the soundtrack. Later that year, he performed at an Amnesty International festival in Buenos Aires with international stars like Peter Gabriel and Sting.

In 1989, Charly released a new album, Cómo conseguir chicas ("How to Get Girls"). He described it as a collection of songs that hadn't been released before. His music started to sound darker, sometimes like punk rock, with songs like "No toquen" ("Do Not Touch").

Days of change (1990–1993)

In 1990, Charly released Filosofía barata y zapatos de goma ("Cheap Philosophy and Rubber Shoes"). Many of his old friends helped him record the songs. The album caused some controversy because its last song was a rock version of the "Himno Nacional Argentino". For a few days, García's version of the anthem was banned, but a judge later allowed it.

That year, Charly played for over two hours at a public rock festival in Buenos Aires. He closed the festival by playing his version of the national anthem for 100,000 people.

In December 1992, Charly surprised everyone by bringing back Serú Girán. Charly García, David Lebón, Pedro Aznar, and Oscar Moro reunited after ten years. They recorded a new album, Serú 92, which was very successful. Serú Girán also performed two sold-out shows at the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Argentina's largest stadium.

Say No More era (1994–2000)

In 1994, Charly released La hija de "La Lágrima" ("The Tear's Daughter"), which introduced his new musical idea called Say No More.

During the 1994 Soccer World Cup, Charly called soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona after he was removed from the tournament due to a drug test. Charly sang him a song he composed called "Maradona's Blues," and they became friends.

In 1995, Charly formed a new band called "Casandra Lange" to play songs he loved as a teenager, like "Sympathy for the Devil" and "There's a Place". He recorded these performances and released a live album, Estaba en llamas cuando me acosté ("I was on fire when I went to bed"). He also recorded Hello! MTV Unplugged, which many critics consider one of his best performances.

His album Say No More came out in 1996. Charly explained that "Say No More" was a new concept, like a painter creating directly on a canvas. Today, this album is considered one of his masterpieces, and "Say no more" became his famous slogan.

In 1997, García recorded Alta Fidelidad ("High Fidelity") with Mercedes Sosa, a legendary folk singer whom he had known since childhood. They released an album where Mercedes sang her favorite Charly García songs.

In 1998, El aguante ("Holding On") was released. This album included many cover songs translated into Spanish by Charly, such as "Tin Soldier" and "Roll over Beethoven".

In February 1999, Charly performed at a huge free rock festival in Buenos Aires for 250,000 fans. In July 1999, he gave a private concert at the Argentine Presidential residence for President Carlos Saúl Menem. A limited edition album of this concert, Charly & Charly, was released.

Maravillización (2000–2003)

In 2000, Charly and Nito Mestre decided to bring Sui Generis back together. They wrote new songs for an album called "Sinfonías para adolescentes" ("Symphonies for Adolescents"). This new period was marked by Charly's concept of "Maravillización," or "Making something marvelous," which replaced his older, darker "Say No More" style.

Sui Generis played again at the Boca Juniors's Stadium for 25,000 fans on December 7, 2000. Charly performed for almost four hours. Some journalists criticized this reunion, saying it was mainly for money and that the band had changed too much.

In 2001, ¡Si! Detrás de las paredes ("B! Behind the Walls") was released as the second and last Sui Generis album of this new era. It included live songs from the Boca Juniors concert, new songs, and new versions of old songs. On October 23, 2001, Charly celebrated his 50th birthday with a special concert.

After this, Charly returned to his solo career with the album Influencia ("Influence") in 2002. This album had popular songs like "Tu Vicio" ("Your Vice") and "Influencia" (a translated cover of Todd Rundgren's "Influenza"). Many considered it his best album since 1994. His live concerts for Influencia were also very strong.

In October 2003, Charly released Rock and Roll, Yo ("Rock and Roll, Me"), dedicated to his bandmate María Gabriela Epumer.

Drop into the background (2004–2008)

In 2004, Charly performed for the second time at the Casa Rosada, the Argentine Government Palace, during the presidency of Néstor Kirchner. On April 30, 2007, he played in the Plaza de Mayo for the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo Human Rights' Organization, celebrating their 30th Anniversary. Around this time, Charly performed regularly throughout Argentina and South America.

Third Period - Comeback and status as a living legend (2009-present)

Recovery, new material

After a year of recovery, Charly returned in August 2009 with a new song called "Deberías Saber Por qué" ("You Should Know Why"). The song became a hit, and Charly went on a tour to promote his comeback. On October 23, he celebrated his 58th birthday with a concert at Velez Sarfield's Stadium, known as "The Underwater Concert" because of the heavy rain.

In October 2011, Charly was the last guest on Susana Giménez' TV show's final episode, where he performed "Desarma y Sangra" from his band Serú Girán.

Charly García and former Chief of government of Buenos Aires Mauricio Macri, at Teatro Colón in 2013

In September 2013, Charly performed a special show called "Líneas Paralelas, Artificio imposible" (Parallel Lines, Impossible Craft) at Teatro Colón. He arranged his own songs with classical music.

Random

In 2016, Charly had some health issues. On February 24, 2017, he surprised everyone by announcing his new studio album, Random. It was his first album of new songs in seven years and received mostly positive reviews and sold well.

On April 19, 2017, Charly said that Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson's song "Uptown Funk" copied the beginning of his song "Fanky" from Cómo conseguir chicas (1989).

Charly García performing at his 70th birthday concert in 2021

In October 2021, Argentina's government organized a special event to celebrate Charly García's 70th birthday. The Kirchner Cultural Centre (CCK) held live music, talks, and performances. Many important Argentine musicians played Charly's classic songs. Charly himself made a surprise appearance and performed for the cheering crowd.

Recent Years In 2024, García released his fourteenth solo album, La lógica del escorpión ("The Scorpion's Logic"). It was first released on vinyl and then on digital platforms.

The album features other famous musicians like David Lebón, Pedro Aznar, Fito Páez, and even Luis Alberto Spinetta (using old recordings). The band for the album includes Kiuge Hayashida (guitar), Fernando Kabusacki (guitar), Hilda Lizarazu (backing vocals), Rosario Ortega (backing vocals), Fernando Samalea (drums), and Toño Silva (drums).

One song on the album is a Spanish version of "Watching the Wheels" by John Lennon. This is special because Yoko Ono allowed a John Lennon song to be translated into Spanish for the first time.

In its first week, all 13 songs from the album entered the top 50 on Spotify in Argentina.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Charly García para niños