Edgardo
Ricardo Arjona
Morales born
January 19th,
1964 in Antigua.
Since his childhood
developed a
great passion
for the music;
Ricardo's first
instrument was
the guitar,
a gift from
his father.
He was educated
in strict schools;
the first one
was a Catholic
School, then
in a semi-military
one, and finally
he finish his
studies in the
Rafael Aguechi
Institute, the
most disturbed
one in Guatemala's
history because
there was the
place where
students' national
strikes were
organized. However,
those places
never pacified
his strong spirit
and dreamer
soul. At 12
Ricardo debuted
in 'Juventud
74 Children's
Festival', organized
by Don Bosco
Salesian School
in Guatemala.
He won that
event because
of his song
'Gracias al
Mundo', written
by his father
but Ricardo
convinced everybody
that was from
his own inspiration.
Then he participated
and won 4 more
school festivals,
resorting to
the same cheat.
Ricardo admitted
later that he
started to write
in order to
have a clear
conscience.
In fact, he
returned to
compete in the
same festival
with a song
written by himself
and got the
first place
once again.
Then he continued
singing with
a partner and
they became
known as protest
performers.
Next, he participated
in the OTI Festival,
in Spain.
When
Ricardo had
21, his first
single 'Dejame
decir que te
amo' appeared.
After the failure
in sales of
it he decided
to study a professional
career in San
Carlos University,
but he didn't
decide what
he would study;
first, Ricardo
started in Arquitecture,
then in Systems
Engineering.
Finally he majored
in Comunications
and at that
time he got
the national
record of the
highest score
in a basketball
game and selected
as the best
basketball player
in his country
(he is 192 cm/6'4''
tall).
His
fist job after
college was
as a teacher
in a rural school
(following his
father's steps);
so, he became
'the kind of
master rejected
by the school
system, but
adored by their
pupils'. Although
his responsibility
as a teacher,
he never abandoned
his dream to
become a great
artist. Ricardo
traveled to
Buenos Aires
and had to work
as a street
performer for
some coins the
people let him
in his guitar
case. Then,
he met who'd
become to be
his wife and
mother of his
two children
(Ricardo Jr.
and Astrid),
Leslie Torres.
Ricardo's
trip around
South America
gave him a lot
of self-confidence
and decided
to travel to
Mexico after
returning to
Guatemala. During
a stay in a
hotel and with
a telephone
guide, he searched
directions and
numbers of every
record company
where he could
present his
work. Meanwhile,
he sang at a
bar called 'El
Chato', located
in the 'Pink
Zone' of Federal
District of
Mexico. Was
composing for
other singers
in order to
get more incomes.
One of his compositions
was recorded
for a soap opera
'Alcanzar una
estrella' starring
Eduardo Capetillo
(also a singer
and former member
of Timbiriche).
The song 'Mas
que alcanzar
una estrella'
became one of
the first places
in mexican rankings.
Next, a producer
invited him
to act in a
soap opera.
Ricardo participated
oly in 25 chapters
and got the
determination
of never return
to drama.
In
1992, Ricardo
got admitted
in a 'pack'
for a record
company which
had the policy
to sign with
three artists,
two importants
and a third
one unknown
for to have
his chance.
As any company
invest in his
first album,
he decided to
record thirty
songs which
later he pawned
to several companies
and for he was
gaining regales
in advance.
Only two of
them wasn't
reconized as
written by him,
one recorded
by Yuri and
another one
by Marcos Llunas.
Ricardo's first
album, called
'Animal Nocturno'
became from
those works
and got a good
difussion in
Mexico in part
for the support
of Luisito Rey,
a famous mexican
DJ who was impressed
by the quality
of Ricardo's
work. The most
listened songs
from it was
'Jesus Verbo
no Sustantivo'
and 'Mujeres'.
His
next album 'Historias'
was released
in 1994 and
got Double Platinum
Disc in Argentina,
where he returned
for his first
stage presentation
in Buenos Aires.
In the same
year Guatemalan
media designated
him 'Personality
of the Year'.
On February
1995 he returned
to Argentina
in order to
participated
in the 1st Music
Festival in
Mar del Plata,
after a brief
trip to Chile
where he was
acclaimed in
the 36°
Viña
del Mar Festival.
Two years later,
he released
his third album,
'Si el norte
fuera el sur'
defined by himself
as the exactly
product of TV
images in tons,
excess of information
and every event
from the streets.
Is a chronicle
of the reality
in a point of
view from a
witness who
is able to turn
critics in songs.
Is, definitely,
an album of
protest defending
his right of
being latin
american.
'Sin
daños
a terceros',
as its name
sign, is the
contrary. The
most relaxed
album of Ricardo's
career and in
which he invest
most time composing
it. His words
about the one
of its song,
'Desnuda': Almost
always when
men share a
room with a
woman we get
so close that
we forget to
see her. 'Millonario
de Luz' is a
song totaly
autobiographic
which tells
the moment he
came to Mexico.
In
1999, Arjona's
new album was
'En Vivo', recorded
during his last
tour around
Latin America,
where he displayed
his strenght
as a latin songwriter
in front of
his fervent
audience. One
of the four
new songs included
in this work
is 'Historias',
a simple theme
expressing his
whole passion
for the life.
In
the middle of
the year 2000,
Ricardo started
a new turn in
his eternal
romance with
the music, when
he released
his last production
'Galería
Caribe' where
this songwriter
achieved the
magic which
keep awake every
artist: combine
passion and
experience.
Colaborated
in this work
Cuco Peña
(Grammy Award
Winner), Sergio
George, Guaco
Group, Arturo
Sandoval (this
one in trompets)
and Giovanni
Hidalgo (this
one in drums).
Experts agree
this is the
most musical
album he ever
recorded.
Ricardo
Arjona is already
a great artist
of latin music,
knowing how
to combine good
lyrics with
excelent melodies.
Ricardo
Arjona 
