His real name was Charles Romuald Gardes, he was a singer, composer and movie actor nationalized Argentine. The actual documentation proves that he was born on December 11, 1890 in Toulouse (France), natural son of Mrs. Berta Gardes, of his father Paul Lasserre.
His prestigious voice immortalized tango in the world. Today, Gardel is definitely universal and exceeds the time elapse and era. He began his vocation for singing in the historic neighborhood of Abasto where he took his first artistic steps (Bar Café O'Rondeman of the Traverso brothers). Here he became popular as "Zorzal", an appellative baptized by the legendary José Betinotti in honor of the bird of the pampas.
Around 1910 he made a national tour as a duo with the singer and dancer Francisco "Pancho" Martino "his first guitarist". In the early 1911, at a friend's house located on “Guardia Vieja Street” today call “Pasaje Carlos Gardel” he met the Uruguayan José Razzano for first time.
Then around 1912 they performed as a trio Gardel - Razzano - Martino and later a quartet was formed and the cuyano Saúl Salinas joined them. It is worth mentioning that the Gardel-Razzano duo suffered a separation due to problems of his partner with his vocal cords, who years later gave up singing.
On April 2, 1912 Gardel signed a contract at Casa Tagini. This would be one of the most culminating moments of his career, here he made a series of his first recordings for the Columbia Record label. History marks a before and after; when in 1917 the composer Pascual Contursi adapted his verses of "Percanta que me amuraste" to the music of the instrumental tango "Lita" by the pianist Samuel Castriota, fusion that gave the first argumental and emblematic tango of the history, titled "Mi noche triste".
The tango song was interpreted and recorded by Carlos Gardel for the Nacional Discography Odeon in 1917 and years later in 1930.
1917 would be a transcendental year for the singer; he would film for the first time for silent movies in his artistic career. "Flor de Durazno" filmed between the provinces of Córdoba and Buenos Aires. Directed by the director Francisco Defilippis Novoa, based on the novel by the writer Hugo Wast.
In 1930 in the film studios of Italian director and producer Federico Valle, Carlos Gardel debuts in Argentine sound films and becomes the precursor of "videoclips". Under the direction of Eduardo Morera, a compilation of ten (out of fifteen) musical shorts is filmed.
He also successfully achieved worldwide recognition in different films (France and the United States). Between 1931 and 1932 Gardel had made four films with the Paramount company in their European studios (located in France), where he films: "Las Luces de Buenos Aires", "Espérame", "La casa es seria" and "Melodía de arrabal".
His performances for the NBC network in New York were a real success. In that city, he films in the Kaufman studios the movies "Cuesta abajo", "El tango en Broadway", "El día que me quieras" and "Tango bar". He records for RCA Victor the songs of the films and the first versions of the musical numbers of "Cazadores de estrellas".
He shared friendships with world celebrities such as Charles Chaplin, Maurice Chevalier, Frank Sinatra, Enrico Caruso.
While on tour in America, he died in a plane crash in Medellin (Colombia) along with most of his entourage on June 24, 1935. Today his remains rest next to those of his beloved mother in the mausoleum of the Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires (Argentina). In her mausoleum there is a bust in her name. There, thousands and thousands of faithful honor her memory year after year.
On September 18, 1991, the National Congress of the Argentine Republic established by law 23.976 the "National Singer's Day" to be commemorated every June 24 in memory of the death of the popular tango idol.
