Recording Academy Issues Statement on Passing of Mariachi Great NATI CANO

Nati Cano, founder of Los Camperos de Nati Cano, considered by many to be among the most accomplished and influential mariachi ensemble in the United States, passed away on Friday, October 3rd at the age of 81.

Yesterday, The Recording Academy issued the following statement on his passing:

GRAMMY® winner Nati Cano was a remarkable musician and legendary figure in mariachi music. A highly accomplished artist with a career that spanned more than seven decades, Cano was devoted to sharing traditional mariachi music to widespread audiences and was fiercely dedicated to the preservation of the genre.

He learned to play the vihuela, a small five-stringed guitar, at the age of 6 and by the time he was 8, he was playing professionally in cantinas with family members. In 1961, Cano became the leader of the Los Angeles-based group Mariachi los Camperos, who would go on to play top concert venues around the world and are widely considered one of the top mariachi ensembles in the country.

He also lectured on ethnomusicology at UCLA, sharing his passion and love for his music and culture and ensuring its legacy. We have lost a uniquely gifted member of our creative community, and our sympathies go out to his family, his friends, and all who have been moved by his extraordinary and heartfelt talent.

Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy

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