Los Paraguayos, Chapter 2 (1955 to 1974)

Hugely successful Paraguayan folk group that formed from the ashes of Trio Los Paraguayos.

Following the end of the Official Cultural Mission in 1955, Luis Alberto del Parana wasted little time in assembling another trio of musicians to maintain the momentum. He roped in his brother Reynaldo Meza, fellow ex-Boy Scout Rubito Medina and harpist Santos Gonzales to join him in Belgium. Initially still billed as Trio Los Paraguayos or similar, the quartet proceded to tour and record relentlessly but as membership began to fluctuate in the early sixties, the name stabilised to Luis Alberto del Parana y Los Paraguayos.

The group recorded some 500 songs, sold over 20 million records, played in over 75 countries, and travelled over a million miles while doing so. They were the first artist to receive a Gold Cassette for sales by their label Philips, received six gold records, shared the stage with the Beatles, recorded with the Rolling Stones and appeared before statesmen, monarchy and the jetsetting society of the day in territories as far afield as Romania, Russia, Japan, the USA, Portuguese Africa, the Middle East, and all over Europe.

After Luis Alberto del Parana died in London in 1974, his younger brother took over leadership of the group under the name of Reynaldo Meza Y Los Paraguayos.