Julio Sosa
Encyclopedia
Julio María Sosa Venturini (February 2, 1926 – November 26, 1964), usually referred to simply as Julio Sosa or El Varón del Tango, was an Uruguay
an tango singer.
Sosa was born in Las Piedras
, a Canelones Department
suburb of Montevideo
, Uruguay
. He moved to Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, in 1949, where became famous with Enrique Francini and Armando Pontier's Orquesta típica
. Working with numerous other orchestras, he was reunited with Pontier in 1955, with whom he recorded several best-selling albums on the RCA Victor and Columbia
labels and became one of the most important tango singers in the genre's history.
He married Nora Ulfed in 1958 and had a daughter. His marriage ended in separation, however, and he settled into a relationship with Susana Merighi. Nicknamed El Varón del Tango ("the man's man of tango"), Sosa also published a book of poetry, Dos horas antes del alba ("Two Hours Before the Dawn"), in 1960. Following his switch to Columbia Records
in 1961, the Pontier orchestra incorporated a new bandoneon
ist, Leopoldo Federico, and the association helped make the group the most successful in its genre, at the time.
Sosa's fame acquainted him with sports car
s, as well. He suffered numerous accidents during the early 1960s, mostly as a result of speeding. He was behind the wheel of a DKW
coupé when, in the early hours of November 25, 1964, he crashed into a roadside hazard light on Buenos Aires' Figueroa Alcorta Avenue
, killing him instantly at age 38.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an tango singer.
Sosa was born in Las Piedras
Las Piedras, Uruguay
Las Piedras is a city in the Canelones Department of Uruguay. It is located on the east side of Route 5, north of the border with Montevideo Department. Bordering La Paz to the south and Montevideo to the southeast, it belongs to the wider metropolitan area of Montevideo...
, a Canelones Department
Canelones Department
The Canelones Department , with an area of and 485,240 inhabitants, is located to the south of Uruguay. Its capital is Canelones.-Geography and climate:...
suburb of Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. He moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in 1949, where became famous with Enrique Francini and Armando Pontier's Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
. Working with numerous other orchestras, he was reunited with Pontier in 1955, with whom he recorded several best-selling albums on the RCA Victor and Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
labels and became one of the most important tango singers in the genre's history.
He married Nora Ulfed in 1958 and had a daughter. His marriage ended in separation, however, and he settled into a relationship with Susana Merighi. Nicknamed El Varón del Tango ("the man's man of tango"), Sosa also published a book of poetry, Dos horas antes del alba ("Two Hours Before the Dawn"), in 1960. Following his switch to Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1961, the Pontier orchestra incorporated a new bandoneon
Bandoneón
The bandoneón is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It plays an essential role in the orquesta típica, the tango orchestra...
ist, Leopoldo Federico, and the association helped make the group the most successful in its genre, at the time.
Sosa's fame acquainted him with sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
s, as well. He suffered numerous accidents during the early 1960s, mostly as a result of speeding. He was behind the wheel of a DKW
DKW
DKW is a historic German car and motorcycle marque. The name derives from Dampf-Kraft-Wagen .In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Zschopau, Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW...
coupé when, in the early hours of November 25, 1964, he crashed into a roadside hazard light on Buenos Aires' Figueroa Alcorta Avenue
Figueroa Alcorta Avenue
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta is a major thoroughfare in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a length of over along the city's northside.-History:The rapid northward growth of the city of Buenos Aires during the late nineteenth century was facilitated by plans for a number of boulevards in the area by Mayor...
, killing him instantly at age 38.