Agustín Lara

Agustín Lara transformed the bolero from a folk form into a sophisticated Mexican art, composing over 700 songs including "Granada" and "María Bonita" that became Latin romantic standards performed by Plácido Domingo and Frank Sinatra. His marriage to film star María Félix created the most iconic celebrity couple in Mexican history. Lara's songs have been recorded more than 5,000 times, a volume that far exceeds the typical output of composers like #5 Juan Gabriel, though Gabriel's broader genre range gives him an edge in song quantity.