José Luis 'Pucho' Ponce, Bassist of Argentine Folk Group Los Tekis, Dies at 68
José Luis 'Pucho' Ponce, the bassist who helped shape the sound of Argentine folk group Los Tekis for more than three decades, died early on the morning of 19 August 2026 at the age of 68.
Los Tekis confirmed Ponce's death through their social media accounts, posting a farewell message on Instagram that described him as "a friend, brother, companion in music and in life" and said there were no words to express the emptiness they felt. Billboard
According to Argentine outlet La Gaceta, Ponce died after a deterioration caused by a complicated illness diagnosed roughly two months before his death. Argentine outlet Todo Noticias reported that, as of its publication, the specific cause had not yet been disclosed. Todo Noticias
Born in Villa María, in the province of Córdoba, Ponce joined Los Tekis in 1995 and became a key figure in shaping the sound and identity of the Jujuy-based group for over thirty years. Before that, he played in the rock band Universo. In the late 1980s, he moved to Italy, where he lived for seven years, earning a living playing in salsa and Latin jazz groups.
In Los Tekis, Ponce played alongside Sebastián López on vocals, Mauro Coletti on wind instruments, Walter Sader on guitars and founding drummer Juanjo Pestoni, who retired in 2025. The group's discography spans 15 studio albums, from Cantas Tú, Canto Yo in 1997 to Todos Nos Vamos a Morir Igual in 2023. Their 2011 album Carnaval, Pasión del Norte, a collaboration with Salta group Los Nocheros, won a Gardel Award — Argentina's principal music prize — in the best folk group album category.
Argentina's National Institute of Music (INAMU), a government body that supports the country's musical sector, issued a statement lamenting Ponce's death and describing him as the bassist and member of Los Tekis. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Los Tekis were among more than 300 Argentine artists who took part in Argentina En La Casa, a virtual festival organised by Billboard Argentina.
Ponce's creative life extended beyond music. In recent years he rediscovered a passion for drawing, developing a style based on simple strokes and single-line illustrations, with works exhibited in Argentina and abroad. According to his personal Instagram biography, he was also a radio host.
The band, its fans and the broader Argentine folk community are left with a body of work that stretches across nearly the entire arc of Los Tekis' recorded history — 15 albums and a Gardel Award, with Ponce's bass at the foundation.
