Francisco Canaro, also known by the nickname Pirincho,[1] (November 26, 1888 – December 14, 1964) was a Uruguayan violinist and tango orchestra leader.

Performing in seedy bars initially, he ultimately forged a career that spanned many decades, and his orchestra was one of the most recorded.

His introduction to the tango came by orquesta típica leader Vicente Greco in 1908, and in 1912 he composed "Pinta brava" ("Fierce Look").

He later was romantically attached to Argentine actress and tango vocalist Ada Falcón, but the relationship, which began in the early 1920s, grew apart a decade later.

[2] Canaro was active in the cause of intellectual property rights from 1918 onwards, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Argentine Society of Composers and Songwriters (SADAIC), in 1935, purchasing the downtown Buenos Aires lot where its headquarters were built.