Manuel Esperón

Prolific multi award-winning Mexican composer of over 900 songs (many of which have become standards of Latin music) and 500 soundtracks. He was hand-picked by Walt Disney to write most of the Mexican musical segment for The Three Caballeros (1944), alongside Agustin Lara, Ary Barroso and his frequent collaborator, Ernesto Cortázar. Apart from 'Ay Jalisco, No Te Rajes', his other famous compositions, include 'No Volvere', 'Cantaclaro' and 'Cuando Me Vaya'. The last two were winners of Silver Ariel Awards in 1947 and 1955, respectively. The son of a civil engineer father and a concert pianist mother, Esperon completed his musical education in Mexico, then became an accompanist to silent films. He worked as an arranger/orchestrator until 1933, when he composed his first film score. Esperon was notable for integrating mariachi music into many of his screen compositions and had noted collaborations with many of the best-known interpreters of contemporary Mexican music, such as Jorge Negrete and 'Lola Beltran'. In 1990, he received the highest award bestowed in his native country, the National Prize of Arts and Sciences, for his contribution to culture.