Consuelo Velázquez
Consuelo Velázquez Torres, popularly known as Consuelito Velázquez, was born on August 21, 1916, in Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, Mexico, and passed away on January 22, 2005, in Mexico City. She was a celebrated Mexican concert pianist and composer, renowned for her significant contributions to Latin music. Velázquez was the youngest of five daughters of Isaac Velázquez de Valle, a soldier and poet, and María de Jesús Torres Ortíz. Demonstrating a natural talent for music from a young age, she began studying piano at the age of six at the Academia de Música Serratos in Guadalajara. By eleven, she had moved to Mexico City to continue her education, eventually earning a degree in music education and concert piano from the National Conservatory of Music.
Her career as a concert pianist included performances as a soloist with Mexico's National Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Velázquez gained international fame for composing the iconic bolero "Bésame mucho" at the age of 16, a song that became an enduring hit and was recorded by numerous artists worldwide, including Nat "King" Cole and The Beatles. Her body of work also includes other popular songs such as "Amar y vivir," "Cachito," and "Verdad amarga."
In addition to her musical achievements, Velázquez served as a member of the Mexican Congress from 1979 to 1982 and held leadership roles in organizations such as SACM and CISAC. She was married to Mariano Rivera Conde, with whom she had two sons. Velázquez's contributions to music were recognized with the National Prize for Science and Arts in Popular Art and Traditions in 1989. Her legacy as a pioneering figure in Latin music continues to be celebrated, including a Google Doodle commemorating her 96th birthday on August 21, 2012.
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