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Johnny Torales, 'Golden Voice of Asunción' and Los 3 Sudamericanos star, dies at 89
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Johnny Torales, 'Golden Voice of Asunción' and Los 3 Sudamericanos star, dies at 89

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Paraguayan artist Johnny Torales, known as "The Golden Voice of Asunción" and a founding member of the trio Los 3 Sudamericanos, has died at age 89 in Spain.
  • Torales had a distinguished solo career before forming Los 3 Sudamericanos in 1959 with his wife Alma María Vaesken and Casto Darío Martínez.
  • The trio achieved international success, particularly in Europe, after signing with CBS and becoming known as Los 3 Sudamericanos.

Johnny Torales, the Paraguayan artist celebrated as "The Golden Voice of Asunción" and a founding member of the internationally acclaimed trio Los 3 Sudamericanos, has died at the age of 89 in Tarancón, Spain. His passing marks the end of an era for the iconic Paraguayan musical group.

Before achieving fame with Los 3 Sudamericanos, which he co-founded in 1959, Torales was already a recognized solo artist in Paraguay. He studied singing at the National School of Music under Sofía Mendoza, where he notably became the only tenor to perform an opera, "Cavalleria Rusticana," at the Municipal Theater of Asunción. His wife, Alma María Vaesken, who passed away on January 31, and Casto Darío Martínez, who died in 2024, completed the original trio.

Torales's musical journey began with training in Buenos Aires under maestros like Eduardo Colonna. Back in Asunción, he lent his voice to prominent orchestras such as Nóvel, Lucio Milena's, and the Association of Musicians of Paraguay. He also performed on Radio Paraguay and Radio Stentor, often accompanied by pianist Oscar Faella.

I studied singing a lot. I was the only tenor at the National School of Singing who sang an opera. It was Sofía Mendoza's school.

— Johnny ToralesTorales recalled his early musical education in an interview.

The formation of Los 3 Sudamericanos was an experimental endeavor. Torales and Vaesken met in 1958, and a year later, they joined forces with Martínez to record a demo tape. Initially presented anonymously as the "Trío Fantasma" (Ghost Trio) by a radio announcer, their music quickly gained popularity. The tape's success led to a recording offer from CBS in Buenos Aires, prompting the trio to adopt the name Los 3 Sudamericanos.

After extensive tours across Europe and the Middle East starting in 1962, the trio established a significant presence in Spain. Torales and Vaesken married in 1960 and shared 68 years together. Their music resonated globally, cementing their legacy as one of Paraguay's most successful musical exports.

The Ghost Trio was something we didn't know if it would be real. It was experimental, we didn't know if the public would like it, and now after 20 years we can be sure that it was a great reality and that we have changed a lot.

— Johnny ToralesTorales reflected on the early days of the trio in a 1981 interview.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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