José Luis “Pucho” Ponce, bassist of the iconic Argentine group Los Tekis, died early Wednesday morning (Aug. 19) at the age of 68. The band confirmed the news through its social media accounts, with his bandmates bidding him farewell with a heartfelt and emotional message.
“Friend, brother, companion in music and in life… There are no words that can express the emptiness we feel at this moment,” Los Tekis wrote on Instagram. “We still can’t comprehend it — yesterday we were chatting and joking, and today we can’t even hug you.”
The band continued: “Oh, how we’re going to miss those warm hugs from such a kind soul, the mate conversations filled with countless anecdotes, and the laughter you brought along the way. Your presence was always strong, valuable, immense — just like your heart, Puchito. So many years together, so many shared dreams.”
According to the Argentine outlet La Gaceta, the musician died after suffering a deterioration caused by a complicated illness that had been diagnosed approximately two months prior to his death.
Born in Villa María, Córdoba, Ponce joined Los Tekis in 1995 and, for more than three decades, was a key figure in shaping the sound and identity of the Jujuy-based group. As the bassist, he supported the band’s growth and its establishment as one of the central names in Argentine folk and Andean music.
In the band, Pucho Ponce played alongside Sebastián López (vocals), Mauro Coletti (wind instruments), Walter Sader (guitars) and founding drummer Juanjo Pestoni, who retired in 2025.
This shared journey resulted in an impressive discography that includes 15 studio albums, ranging from Cantas Tú, Canto Yo (1997) to Todos Nos Vamos a Morir Igual (2023), the latter featuring collaborations with artists such as Los Auténticos Decadentes, Bacilos and more. Among the band’s greatest achievements is its partnership with Los Nocheros from Salta, Argentina on Carnaval, Pasión del Norte (2011), which earned Los Tekis a Gardel Award in the best folk group album category. That project includes the track “Vienes y Te Vas,” which has amassed nearly 23 million streams on Spotify.
Before joining Los Tekis, Ponce was a member of the rock band Universo. In the late 1980s, he decided to move to Italy, where he lived for seven years, earning a living by joining salsa and Latin jazz groups. Alongside his musical career, in recent years, the bassist rediscovered his passion for drawing, developing a personal style based on simple strokes and single-line illustrations. His works were exhibited in various spaces across Argentina and abroad.
During the COVID pandemic in 2020, Los Tekis was among more than 300 Argentine artists who participated in the virtual festival Argentina En La Casa, organized by Billboard Argentina.
Read the band’s full statement below:
