Opera singer Antonio Aguilar became a melancholy mariachi icon in Mexico in the late '40s, pouring his vocal prowess into sentimental rancheras and wistful corridos. He epitomized the singing cowboy, both in film and onstage. His pure voice, extended phrasing, and poignant lyrics made everyday misery kind of magical on originals like "Un Puño de Tierra." During the '80s, his still-powerful pipes reinvigorated banda with brassy, percussive drinking standards like "Triste Recuerdo."