Music

Marciano Cantero, Frontman of Argentinian Rock Outfit Enanitos Verdes, Dead at 62

Groundbreaking group was considered a pillar of the Latin rock genre, counting performers including J Balvin and Bad Bunny among its fans

Horacio Eduardo “Marciano” Cantero, the songwriter and frontman for Argentinian rock band Enanitos Verdes, died this afternoon in a hospital in his hometown of Mendoza. He was 62.

The singer had recently undergone surgery to remove one of his kidneys and part of his spleen. 

The group is among one of the most successful Latin American rock outfits, with a career that spanned four decades. Their classics include “Lamento Boloviano” and “Amores Lejanos.” Cantero had fans across generations: In 2019, J Balvin and Bad Bunny featured him on their song “Un Peso.”

Enanitos Verdes, which translates to “Little Green Elves,” was in the midst of a tour celebrating the group’s 40th anniversary, recently wrapping a series of shows in the U.S. — including stops in Los Angeles, New York City, Houston and Miami. The group was sent to perform in Peru and Mexico before returning stateside this fall. 

“Today, the Latin rock world is in mourning,” WR Producciones, the band’s booking agency, said in a statement on Twitter. “Marciano, you still had many stories to tell. Thank you for everything that you’ve left us, we’ll miss you.”