e was one of the good ones and pleasantly knew how to get involved with the countryside things because he worked in the southern farm houses where he learnt to improvise songs at a young age.

His heyday was from 1880 to 1900 when he used to sing improvised lyrics with the best payadores and for a long time people remembered the encounter he had with Gabino Ezeiza in the town of Rauch (Province of Buenos Aires) in 1895, where there was neither winner nor defeated contender. For a long time people said he was one of the most intelligent ones that challenged the undefeated Gabino. Twice he defeated Higinio Cazón and the last payada he had was with Antonio Caggiano in 1902 in Bahía Blanca.

His lines were forgotten but we collected the octaves “El canto gaucho”, the ten-line stanzas “Entre cardos y chingolos” and the song “La paisanita” which was picked up by Gardel-Razzano. The latter, besides adding music of their choice, added to it two ten-line stanzas by Francisco Martino. This piece was published by José Balerio fifteen years after his death. It is said that this song belongs to Juan Pedro López; it cannot belong to him because it was sung before 1900 and at that time this Uruguayan troubadour had not yet started.

Santillán was born in Santiago del Estero. He settled in Azul (Province of Buenos Aires) at a young age and there he disappeared around 1908.