Carlos Gardel, Biography Of The Creole Thrush

Although he was one of the most famous men in the world at the time, the life and death of Carlos Gardel continue to contain mysteries and whispers that are still debated today. But, thinking about it, it could not be otherwise in the case of one of the great icons of Argentina and an interpreter who was said to “sing better every day” – or, at least, the millions of followers who still preserves.

Carlos Gardel is the most emblematic figure of tango in all its history. Nobody like him managed to give this genre a universal scope. He was also one of the first and most successful gallants who built the cinema and a man who seduced everyone around him with his smile and his sympathy.

On Carlos Gardel there are degree theses, exhaustive investigations, speculations and myths. We are not far from commemorating a century of his death and there are still big questions about who he really was.

He is buried in the La Chacarita cemetery and there are still hundreds of people who go to his grave to ask for miracles. In this article, we will try to get closer to his figure and the myth that surrounds him.

The mystery of the birth of Carlos Gardel

The first controversial issue in the life of Carlos Gardel is found, curiously, in his own birth. Three theories have emerged, of which two are disputed to be the final truth. One of them says that Gardel was born in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and that he was the adopted son of a French immigrant named Berta Gardés. On the other hand, the second thesis places its birth in the province of La Plata, Argentina, although it is considered the least credible option.

The third, for its part, points out that Carlos Gardel was born in Tolousse, France. Although the supporters of the other hypotheses refuse to accept that this is possible, the truth is that the evidence seems to show that, indeed, the Creole Thrush of Argentina was French. This is how the authors of the book Gardel’s father concluded it , with a birth certificate in hand.

Berta Gardés was his mother and Paul Jean Lassere his father , although officially he was “the son of an unknown father”. It is only known about his father that he was a small-time trickster, that he had two other natural children and that he spent much of his life in prison. The mother, on the other hand, was a humble clothes ironer, who emigrated to Argentina accompanied by the stigma of being a single mother. Gardel always had true devotion to her.

From thug to singer

Carlos Gardel lived his early years next to his mother in the poorest areas of Buenos Aires. There are police records that link him to jail time for fraud. He conned the unwary with a tale about inheritance and rewards, with the sole aim of stealing their money.

In the area where Gardel lived, there were several theaters in which shows of a very diverse nature were presented. This artistic environment had a great influence on him. Several times he was hired as a “clapper” in some works; that is, they paid him to clap, although they indirectly sowed in him the seed of a taste for the stage.

It is claimed that Carlos Gardel, who was not originally called that, but Charles Romuald Gardes, changed the data of his life history so that the past in prison and those minor jobs would not damage his image when he achieved world fame. Hence, some of the confusion about his life arises.

The death of a man and the birth of a myth

Carlos Gardel sang for Enrico Caruso on a ship that sailed through Brazil when he was not yet famous. Caruso told him that if he had educated his voice well, he would probably be the best baritone in the world, something that he would end up achieving later. In turn, Gardel was one of those who insisted Frank Sinatra to dedicate himself to singing. Both facts show the magnitude of the figure of the Creole Thrush.

Of his songs, his films and his impressive tours there is not much to say. Everything is consigned in thousands and thousands of news, reports, books, etc. In short, any information about his artistic career is perfectly documented and we can still enjoy his voice today thanks to new technologies. His personal life, on the other hand, still lends itself to speculation. He never lived with any woman, apart from his mother. Nor were he known official brides, although he seems to have had a relationship with Isabel del Valle.

His death has also been the subject of speculation and controversy. It occurred as a result of an air accident that took place in Medellín (Colombia), in 1935. Many stories have been woven around the event, ranging from an alleged shooting fight inside the aircraft, to a theoretical drunkenness of the pilot.

Most likely, there was simply a failure in the plane’s engine that the pilot could not handle, or some other cause far removed from conspiracy theories. But the truth is that the fateful event ended up giving Carlos Gardel the halo of legend that he had already brought back. The accident did not kill him but, like his music, made him eternal.