Demetrio Ortiz

Composer, playwright and choreographer of traditional paraguayan dances. Born in Paraguay on Dicember 22, 1916. He began his musical activities in 1937 with the group “Aficionados del General Santos” (“Fans of the General Santos club”), where he performed as a singer, guitarist and actor. In 1938 he became part of Zoilo F. Cantero's “Ocara Poty” (“Countryside's Flower”) group and in 1939, “Mandu'a Rory” (“Glad Memory”), according to Luis Szarán's dictionary. He composed a large number of works, among which stand out “Qué será de ti”, “Mis noches sin ti”, “Yo te quiero mucho”, “Mi canción viajera”, “Rohecha jeývo”, “Aurora y ocaso”, “Ahejava’ekue”, “Recuerdos del Paraguay”, “Mitãkuña jukyete”, and more. In November 1974, shortly before his death, he completed his autobiography “Una guitarra, un hombre... Demetrio Ortiz“ (A guitar, a man... Demetrio Ortiz), first published in Buenos Aires and later republished in Paraguay. He died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 18, 1975.