Héctor Ochoa Cárdenas

Héctor Ochoa Cárdenas (24 July 1934 – 21 July 2026) was a Colombian musician and composer, best known for his song "El camino de la vida". Born in Medellín, he was the son of composer Eusebio Ochoa, from whom Ochoa learned music from a young age. At the age of 15, he founded a music group with his brother and a friend, playing at public events and on the city's radio. Ochoa left music as a career upon the death of his father in the 1950s, taking work at a bank. He worked in banking for the next 25 years. He eventually rose to the role of regional manager at the Banco de Bogotá until he retired from the industry in 1982. He continued to write music in his personal time, including the song "El camino de la vida". Dealing with the passage of life, it became known in Colombia after a November 1983 performance by the musical duo Arboleda and Valencia.

Ochoa was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015; he also received honors such as the "", the "" , and the "" . He died on 21 July 2026 in La Ceja, Antioquia.

Early life and career beginnings Héctor Ochoa Cárdenas was born on 24 July 1934 in Medellín, Colombia, the son of composer and music teacher Eusebio Ochoa. He studied music, specifically plucked string instruments, from a young age, When he was 15 and still in high school, he created the musical group with his brother, Carlos Alberto, and a friend, Román Vélez. The group performed at public events and on radio stations around Medellín; and eventually became a regional manager at the Banco de Bogotá in Medellín. He kept his interest in music a secret from his colleagues, fearing it would interfere with his career if he were to be associated with something less serious.

Music Ochoa's first work to be recorded and released was Bendito amor; While his other songs could take up to three or four months to write, Ochoa remembered that "El camino de la vida" took twelve hours on just one day. His wife, who brought him food so he could write, uninterrupted, was the first to hear the song. he could play the guitar, play the tiple, and sing. His work often described daily life in his native Antioquia and his best known songs include "El camino de la vida", "", "Pase lo que pase", and "Tú, lo mejor de todo". Songs composed by Ochoa include:

Aprendiendo a vivir Ayer y hoy Bendito amor (1962) Canta tiple Después que me olvidé de ti El amor no acaba El camino de la vida Ella es mi reina La nostalgia Lo mejor de mí Muy antioqueño Muy colombiano Orgullosamente mujer Pase lo que pase Tú, lo mejor de todo Volvé maestro

Personal life and death Ochoa was married for over 50 years to María Estela Lalinde, also known as "Stella"; she was not a trained musician and so Ochoa would often show his work to her to gauge her interest and, by extension, that of the wider public. The couple had four children.

Héctor Ochoa died in La Ceja, Antioquia on 21 July 2026, three days before his 92nd birthday. His death was confirmed by Andrés Julián Rendón, the governor of Antioquia.