Sandro de America Argentine singer and actor Date of Birth: 19.09.1945 Country: Argentina

1. Biography of Sandro de America
2. Early Musical Influences
3. Rise to Fame
4. Success in Film and Television
5. Career Milestones
6. Later Years and Legacy

Biography of Sandro de America

Sandro de America, whose real name was Roberto Julio Sánchez, was an Argentine singer and actor. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1945. From a young age, Sandro showed a talent for music and began composing poems. He sang in a school band and at the age of 16, became the vocalist of the rock band 'Sandro y Los de Fuego', which he had formed himself.

Early Musical Influences

Sandro was one of the pioneers of rock music in his region and idolized Elvis Presley during that time. He was deeply influenced by the music of Presley and even prayed to him. Sandro's parents, Irma Nydia Ocampo and Vicente Sánchez, encouraged his musical pursuits from childhood. He was particularly drawn to gypsy music, as his paternal grandfather was originally from Hungary and had a Romani background. Sandro found passion, sadness, joy, and beauty in the Romani culture and music, and always aspired to perform 'romá' music.

Rise to Fame

In 1967, Sandro de America won the national song festival, which catapulted him to become one of the main pop stars in Argentina. During this period, he transitioned from rock melodies to ballads, still incorporating the Romani motifs that he loved. The 1970s marked the peak of his popularity. Sandro became one of the most famous singers in Latin America and landed leading roles in movies and television shows.

Success in Film and Television

In 1970, Sandro starred as the main character in the Argentine musical drama 'Gitano'. He also played key roles in similar genre films such as 'Muchacho', 'Destino de un capricho', 'Tú me enloqueces', and 'El deseo de vivir'. These films were often tailored specifically for him. Sandro's songs were widely distributed and performed by other musicians, including Shirley Bassey, Liza Minnelli, Burt Bacharach, Dalida, Shirley MacLaine, Toto Cutugno, Nancy Wilson, Mary Hopkins, Julio Iglesias, and Engelbert Humperdinck, among others.

Career Milestones

Sandro made history by becoming the first performer to have a televised concert via satellite. The concert took place at Madison Square Garden and was broadcast live. In the 1990s, he set another record with his show at the Teatro Gran Rex in the capital city, which became the most attended event in the country.

Later Years and Legacy

Even in the 1990s, Sandro continued recording albums and performing concerts. His discography includes albums such as 'Sandro en New York' (1970), 'Sandro espectacular' (1971), 'Sandro live in Puerto Rico' (1975), 'Vengo a ocupar mi lugar' (1984), 'Volviendo a casa' (1990), 'Clásico' (1994), and many more. His final album, 'Sandro Hits', was released in 2009. Throughout his career, he recorded and released around forty albums. Sandro's battle with emphysema became public knowledge in 1998.

Sandro de America passed away on January 4, 2010, at the age of 64, due to complications related to a heart transplant. He is remembered as one of the greatest Latin American pop performers.