Nicolas Elias Mendoza Daza, also known as Colacho Mendoza (April 15, 1936 – September 27, 2003), was a Colombian Vallenato accordion player and was crowned king of accordion players on many occasions in the Vallenato Legend Festival.
He was born in a small village called Sabanas de Manuela in the municipality of Barrancas, La Guajira Department, in northern Colombia.
Mendoza was born April 15, 1936, in the small village of Sabanas de Manuela, located in the Municipality of Barrancas in the northern La Guajira Department.
He was the son of Andrés Mendoza and Juana Daza, whom were the first to encourage him to learn music.
He played with prominent vallenato singers such as Alfonso Zuleta, Jorge Oñate, Diomedes Díaz, Silvio Britto and Ivo Luis Díaz.