Felipe Staiti, the Argentine guitarist and founder of the band Enanitos Verdes, died at age 64, according to reports from El Tiempo in Colombia, La Nación in Argentina, and Infobae on April 14.
Staiti’s death marks a significant loss for Latin American rock music. He was known for his long-standing role with Enanitos Verdes and became the band’s lead singer after the passing of vocalist Marciano Cantero in 2022.
Staiti died at Hospital Italiano in Mendoza province, Argentina. According to media sources from Argentina, he passed away on Monday afternoon after suffering health complications. The musician had been hospitalized due to severe dehydration. El Clarín reported that Staiti contracted a bacterial infection in Mexico at the end of 2024. This infection combined with his celiac condition led to deep dehydration that eventually required hospitalization.
Infobae noted that Diego Gareca, secretary of Culture for Mendoza, was among the first to publicly mourn Staiti’s death. Gareca wrote on social media: “Con profunda tristeza despedimos al querido Felipe Staiti, un talento inmenso de nuestra tierra y pieza fundamental de la historia del rock mendocino.”
Despite his health challenges, Staiti had been recovering and was planning a tour with Enanitos Verdes and Spanish band Hombres G across the United States between June and July. The band was also working on a greatest hits album. Less than a month before his passing, Enanitos Verdes performed at a festival in Costa Rica.
Enanitos Verdes began making music together in November 1979 and gained national attention four years later when they were named breakthrough group at Argentina’s Festival de la Falda.
