Cacho Tirao

Oscar Emilio Tirao (April 5, 1941 – May 30, 2007), known as Cacho Tirao, was an Argentine guitarist. He was a member of the Astor Piazzolla quintet. Tirao was born on April 5, 1941, and began playing guitar at the age of four, with his father. At age seven he won his first prize, for a presentation in the artistic section of Radio Mitre. At only 16 years old he was included as a soloist in the orchestra of the Teatro Argentino de La Plata. Member of Astor Piazzolla's epic quintet, Tirao worked among others with Osvaldo Tarantino, Dino Saluzzi and Rodolfo Mederos. He accompanied Josephine Baker and left about 40 records, one of which sold a million copies. He is also the composed many pieces , including the Concert for Guitar and Symphonic Orchestra "Conciertango Buenos Aires" written for Joaquin Rodrigo and which premiered in Belgium in 1985.

In February 1986, his daughter Alejandra playing with her fourteen-year-old brother Gabriel, took a revolver that she believed to be a toy and shot him dead. The tragedy had lasting effects on Tirao, first a persistent asthma that lasted until the end and then, a hemiplegia.

During the 1970s he led a spectacular concert series, which consistently drew large audiences. During those years he also began performing live with Paco de Lucía, who later became a great friend. In 2000 Cacho Tirao collapsed during a concert at the House of Culture of Adrogué. After six years without performing, resulting from a cardiovascular incident in 2000 that caused hemiplegia, Tirao resumed performing and at the end of 2006 recorded his last album, "Renacer", released in January and that Thought to present live in Buenos Aires.

This album, which includes a series of themes such as "Le petit tango", "Third time" and "Teresa, my rebirth", dedicated to his wife, also included his daughter Alejandra on vocals. Cacho Tirao died on May 30, 2007, at his home in Buenos Aires.