Alberto Castillo (performer)

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Alberto Castillo (December 7, 1914 – July 23, 2002), nicknamed Riobal, was a famous Argentine tango singer and actor. Born Alberto Salvador De Lucca in Buenos Aires’ Mataderos district, he was the son of Italian immigrants Salvatore De Luca and Lucia De Paola. He began singing professionally in the 1930s and started recording in 1941, with his first hit being a cover of Alfredo Pelala’s Recuerdo. He sang with the orchestras of Julio De Caro (1934), Augusto Berto (1935), Mariano Rodas (1937) and Ricardo Tanturi (1939). Known for his strong sense of rhythm and a sometimes hoarse voice, Castillo became a leading interpreter of candombe and milonga, African-influenced tango styles. One of his most successful recordings was Cien Barrios Porteños, earning him the nickname “the singer of the 100 barrios.”

From 1946 he appeared in several Argentine films. He was also trained as a physician, a detail that famously helped win his fiancée’s parents’ approval to marry. In the film Moon of Avellaneda, the plot uses his medical background as a device. He had a brief stint as a sports physician; in December 1951 he helped the Vélez Sársfield soccer team during a Brazil tour when players suffered heatstroke, staying with the team and adjusting his performances. Later he recorded Siga el Baile with Los Auténticos Decadentes. He mentored many tango artists, including Silvia Gabriela, and is buried in La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires.