BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Carlos Alberto Solari, the celebrated Argentine musician nicknamed ‘the Indio’ who fronted Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota, one of Argentina’s most beloved and impactful rock bands, passed away Friday at the age of 77.
Officials report that Solari, who had been battling Parkinson’s disease for more than ten years, was discovered deceased beside an indoor swimming pool at his residence in Ituzaingó, a provincial community located approximately 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Buenos Aires. Authorities have not released details regarding the cause of death.
The musician’s family announced his passing through social media channels, stating they plan to organize a public memorial service so admirers can pay their final respects to the rock icon. Following news of his death, supporters started congregating outside his residence, with many bringing floral tributes and donning shirts displaying his famous moniker.
‘We will grieve appropriately, play his music and, most importantly, look after each other, just as he showed us how to do,’ the family’s public statement declared.
Leading Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota — commonly called ‘Los Redondos’ — Solari emerged as a countercultural figure for alienated young Argentines during their nation’s shift from a violent military regime to a democratic system marked by new liberties but also economic turmoil and extreme inflation throughout the 1980s.
Throughout Argentina’s materialistic surge in the 1990s, driven by the market-oriented policies of then-President Carlos Saul Menem, Solari’s powerful rock songs, energetic dance numbers and mysterious lyrics expressed a rebellious attitude toward capitalist excess and foreign influence. Los Redondos produced 10 studio recordings while avoiding major record companies to preserve their creative freedom.
Following the group’s dissolution in 2001, Solari maintained his popularity as a solo performer, creating five additional albums under his own identity that blended traditional rock with electronic elements and attracting massive audiences to venues and arenas throughout Argentina.
During a huge performance in 2016, he revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis to the audience. ‘Mr. Parkinson is nipping at my heels. But here I am,’ he declared. The audience erupted in cheers. He subsequently stepped away from live performances, openly discussing the devastating impact of his condition in media interviews.
Honors flooded in from government officials, entertainers and football personalities nationwide.
The Argentine Soccer Association stated that Solari’s music ‘became a popular rallying cry’ and ‘echoed in the stands’ throughout the football-obsessed nation.
The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, a notable advocacy organization that worked to locate family members killed or ‘disappeared’ during the 1976-83 military rule, described the performer as someone who ‘inspired society as a whole to doubt, to question and to think critically.’
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina’s former president currently serving a corruption sentence under house arrest, shared one of his well-known lyrics on social media, widely recognized as an encouragement to live boldly: ‘Just living costs you your life.’
Solari leaves behind his spouse, Virginia Mones Ruiz, and their 25-year-old son Bruno.
