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Agustín Barboza

Singer/composer/guitarist and patriot, nicknamed "El Ruiseñor de la Guarania" (Asunción, Paraguay, May 5, 1913 - December 18, 1998)

In the spring of 1929 young Agustín set sail to work on a ship to Buenos Aires where he settled and got immersed in the local music scene. His professional singing debut was in 1933 alongside the "Gran Orquesta Paraguaya", directed by Julián Alarcón and Diosnel Chase. The following year he joined Manuel Ortiz Guerrero's orchestra, resulting in the first known recording of a guarania song, "Ņasaindype". In 1943 he returned to Paraguay, performing with José Asunción Flores as well as a trio formed with Eulogio and Felix Perez Cardozo before Agustín continued his vocal studies at the University of Rio de Janeiro.

1947 saw him join “Los Guaireños”, performing alongside Luis Alberto Del Parana, Digno Garcia and Humberto Barua in Mexico, Cuba and throughout Central America until 1949. Solo tours followed until, in 1954, he was called upon to join a new group on an "Official Cultural Mission" in Europe. Once the "Trio Los Paraguayos" mission was over in 1956, Agustín recorded an album with Digno Garcia, Ramon Mendoza and Julio Jara in Germany before returning to Paraguay. It was there that he formed a duo called Los Barboza with his future wife, Francisca Zayas (stage name Yvera), later joined by their daughter Diana Barboza.

In 1994, Mr. Barboza was awarded the National Order of Merit for his contribution to Paraguayan music, and he published an autobiography named "Ruego y Camino" two years later.