Felipe Staiti, the founding guitarist and vocalist of the iconic Argentine rock band Los Enanitos Verdes, died at age 64 in Mendoza, Argentina.
Reports from Argentine media outlets confirmed his passing this Monday following a period of hospitalization.
Staiti had been undergoing treatment for serious health complications that emerged late in 2024.
According to BioBioChile, the musician contracted a bacterial infection while in Mexico during a Latin American tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band's debut album.
This infection, combined with Staiti's condition as a celiac, led to profound dehydration.
He spent one month hospitalized at the Hospital Italiano in Mendoza, according to reports from Clarín cited by BioBioChile.
A legacy of rock and loss
Staiti took on the role of lead vocalist for the group in 2_022 following the death of the band's longtime frontman, Marciano Cantero.
His death follows a period of physical decline that forced the band to cancel several scheduled performances.
Medical complications had impacted his general health, specifically affecting his weight, muscle mass, and vocal power, according to Cooperativa.
Despite these struggles, Staiti was actively planning a new era for the band.
He had arranged a tour of the United States for June and July alongside the Spanish band Hombres G, La Tercera reported.
He was also preparing a greatest hits album featuring various international and Argentine guest artists.
Diego Gareca, the Secretary of Culture for Mendoza, expressed his grief on social media.
"Un talento inmenso de nuestra tierra y pieza fundamental de la historia del rock mendocino," Gareca wrote, adding that the province loses one of its most brilliant and irreplaceable guitarists.
Staiti co-founded Los Enanitos Verdes in 1979 alongside Marciano Cantero and Daniel Piccolo.
After several years of playing in local bars, the band achieved immediate fame in 1984 with the release of their self-titled album and the hit single "Aún sigo cantando."
Subsequent releases like "Contrarreloj" in 1986 produced the classic "Tus viejas cartas," while "Habitaciones extrañas" in 1987 led to their 1988 appearance at the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile.
His technical skill earned him significant professional recognition; in 2012, the Argentine edition of Rolling Stone magazine ranked him as the 62nd best rock guitarist in Argentina.
His career maintained a deep connection to Chile, where the band performed frequently at venues such as the Teatro Caupolicán and the Movistar Arena.
