Tito Guizar born 8 April 1908

Federico Arturo Guízar Tolentino (April 8, 1908 - December 24, 1999) was a Mexican born American singer and actor who performed under the name of Tito Guízar. He paved the way in Hollywood for Mexican performers as the first of the singing 

charros, the guitar-playing cowboys who wore broad-brimmed sombreros and bolero jackets. Tall and dashing, as well as enormously successful, Tito Guizar is often likened to his contemporary, North American Singing Cowboy, Roy Rogers. His career spanned 70 years of recording and film work.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Guizar was encouraged in his singing by his mother. However his conservative father wanted him to study medicine. Telling his family that he would attend Columbia University's medical school, he found New York to be a hot bed of activity during the early days of radio. Tito Ranchero singers, including Negrete, Jesus "Chucho" Navarro Moreno and Alfredo "El Guero" Bojalil Gil were all seeking radio 

and recording work. Guizar played several Prohibition-era night clubs. 

He dropped out of school when he managed to get his own radio show 'Tito Guzar & His Guitar' where he succeeded with his arrangements of popular Mexican and Spanish melodies such as Cielito Lindo and La Cucaracha. . The show was broadcast nationwide on CBS. He is best known for his song Allá en el Rancho Grande, that appeared in the film of the same name.

                           

In 1932 he married another Mexican singer, Carmen Noriega. One can well imagine the good looking fellow with the golden voice being popular with the lady customers, and his classical repertoire making him a favourite with some of the more notorious habitués. 
Doors to more legitimate concert halls such as Carnegie Hall also opened wide where, along with the popular classics, Tito treated audiences to his favourite Mexican cowboy songs. He was a success with his arrangements of popular Mexican and Spanish melodies such as Cielito Lindo, La Cucaracha, Granada, and You Belong to My Heart (English version of Solamente una Vez).

In 1936, Tito returned to Mexico where his movie "All en el Rancho Grande" served as the prototype for 'singing cowboy' films in Mexican film studios. That experience brought him to the Hollywood studios where he went on to star in 45 films, including Rambling 'Round Radio Row and The Big Casino. Eventually added to the list would be the likes of St. Louis Blues with Dorothy Lamour, The Thrill of  Brazil with Ann Miller and Blondie Goes Latin with Penny Singleton. The majority of Tito's movies were made in Mexico beginning with 1936s Alla en el Rancho Grande. The film was extremely successful and gave Tito a place in movie history as the first big screen Mexican "singing cowboy".

Guízar made numerous television appearances, toured in most of Latin American countries, recorded a significant number of songs. In 1990 Tito Guizar suffered the loss of his 59-year-old partner Nanette Noriega, and although it was a blow to him, he continued working by playing series parts in various  Mexican television soap operas such as "La Usurpadora". 

Guizar enjoyed working along younger actors and said he followed their careers. He also kept abreast of new young Latino talent like Ricky Martin, who gained U.S. crossover appeal six decades after Guizar began having success among U.S. audiences."It nurtures me in a spiritual way," Guizar said of their successes.

Guizar suffered injuries in a fall during the early part of 1999. But he kept performing and acting, mostly in Mexico. In July, the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles honored Guizar on his 70 years in show business. Though Guizar walked with the aid of a cane, he remained as lucid and joyful as ever at age 91. He delighted fans and friends at that ceremony with his operatic version of "Rigoletto." Some of those present were moved to tears when he performed a capella "Alla en El Rancho Grande."

On December 24, 1999, Tito Guizar died in San Antonio, where he was visiting relatives for the Christmas holidays. The singer went to rest while dinner was prepared, and he died in his sleep.  (Info edited from various sources  mainly Wikipedia)