“Twenty years I supported his company in various activities, but we disconnected and kept in touch with Olga Lucía Arcila, who was his wife and was still his manager. He had written a few lines on paper, with a pen, and they called me, asking if he might transcribe the draft. I sent the last pages 15 days ago, following I interviewed him a month ago to reinforce some data, in the company of his brother, who still has childhood memories. Here we go. In that book he is going to tell his whole life, the history of the songs, why he wrote such a song, his steps to get to record, all the doors he knocked on until finally a record company received him. He worked at Papeles Familia, in Scott de Colombia, he was an operator in those factories. He was making songs while working, like picking up coffee, when he was in Venezuela from where he was deported and lost a notebook with more than 70 songs.
He composed from the age of seven. The first instrumental song she sang was The Hope Hall, she sang it by ear, with a guitar that her grandfather gave her. He was not an academic, and when he was able to find his place in Scott, and that the music was already more structured, following the death of Gildardo Montoya, they called him from Codiscos to take over the reins of artistic director. His first work was a reveler called El Zapatero and had the theme Las ideas de la viuda, but the popular song with which he began was Pensando en ella, and Ángel Perdido, which he did for a little sister who died. Lately he didn’t mention that he was writing, he dedicated himself to re-recording and accompanying some new artists.
He is an example of life for the number of difficulties at the beginning. He first had difficulty studying, he mightn’t do high school, due to fighting he finished primary school. He wanted to be an astronomer, but he mightn’t study, because when he grew up he had to work on the farm, which his father had just bought. He really liked the universe, knowing more regarding the Moon.
He was very simple, very humble, very talkative, despite the fact that he did not have a very extensive academic preparation. He liked to fill out crossword puzzles, that helped him a lot with letters and knowing words. Darío has a feeling of philanthropy, of love for others.
I really wanted to get the book out, which will surely be published soon, and to make a movie. His death is an unexpected thing. I met him a month ago for the interview and I saw him very well. It was sudden.”
