Ricardo Soulé, Vox Dei founder and writer of Argentine rock anthem 'Presente', dies at 76

Argentine rock lost one of its pioneers on Friday (Oct. 2): Ricardo Soulé, founder of Vox Dei, died at 76. His family confirmed the death; in September he had announced a temporary break from performing due to health problems. The wake is expected in Quilmes, the Greater Buenos Aires city where Vox Dei was born and which named him a Distinguished Citizen.

Born on March 15, 1950, Soulé was the singer, guitarist, violinist and songwriter of Vox Dei, a band formed in 1967 that took its name in 1969, and belonged to the first generation of rock in Argentina. He wrote 'Presente (El momento en que estás)' at 17, a song that became an anthem for several generations.

Soulé also conceived 'La Biblia' (1971), a concept album that reinterpreted passages from the Old and New Testaments and is considered a landmark of the genre. He later pursued a solo career and taught violin. In a statement, his family wrote that 'his spirit is free', that 'music belongs to everyone' and that his work is eternal.