báñez was born in Don Benito (Badajoz), on July 27, 1903. His brother, the violinist and composer Fernando Ibáñez Camallonga, suggested him to write lyrics to several of his pieces and so they gave birth to songs and tangos which were recorded by different artists, among whom were the well-known Argentines Celia Gámez and Pancho Spaventa.

He is author of the words of the tango “Por favor déjame” that he wrote in memory of his son Rafaelito who had died in 1931. He expressly wrote it for Gardel who, the following year, committed it to disc in Barcelona accompanied on piano by Juan Cruz Mateo and on violin by his brother Fernando who was a close friend of Carlitos’. He was widely known by his second family name, hence the mistake of mentioning an inexistent Solsona instead of Camallonga when we refer to the recordings cut in 1932 in Barcelona.

Through his brother he came to know Carlos Gardel and was a friend of his, then it did not turn out difficult for him to persuade the singer to record the above tango which bears music by maestro Modesto Romero.

The General Society of Authors of Spain lost the track of this author because in 1950 he settled in Brazil where it is supposed he died.



Source: "Brasil, Cartões de Imigração, 1900-1965," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KNGR-MXC : accessed 28 Oct 2014), Rafael Ibañez Camallonga, 1950; citing Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro; FHL microfilm .