Argentine Music Star Sandro Dies

The Argentine musician Sandro, an early Latin American rocker who matured into a ballad singer, has died aged 64. He died from complications from heart and lung transplant surgery, doctors at a hospital in the western Argentine city of Mendoza said. The singer, whose real name was Roberto Sanchez, began his rock career in the 1960s in the style of Elvis Presley. He later developed into a ballad singer with a distinctive manner and a strong following across Latin America.Among his hits were Mi amigo el Puma and Rosa, rosa. In all, he recorded dozens of albums and starred in 16 films. He was the first Latin American artist to sing at Madison Square Garden in New York. Early in his career his dancing style, with its Elvis-style pelvic thrusts, scandalised conservative opinion, and his first TV performance triggered protests, Efe news agency reports. His health had been poor since he underwent transplant surgery in November because of chronic lung disease.