A common interest in playing Tex-Mex-style music led Fabio Mora (voice) and Marco Ligabue (guitar, songwriter) to start Rio in 2001. Soon they were joined by Tony Farinelli (bass), Cesare Barbi (drums), and Alle Bartoli (DJ, programming), opening up the band's palette to accommodate classic guitar rock, hip-hop, and electronica elements. Their first single, "Sei Quella per Me," became a radio and video hit upon its release in May 2004, and a few months later it was followed by the album Mariachi Hotel, produced by DJ Luca Pernici. Rio spent the following two years touring, performing at a number of popular events and Italian festivals, most notably at the Campovolo mega-concert of Italian rock star (and Marco's older brother) Luciano Ligabue. Their highly anticipated second album, Terra Luna e Margarita, appeared in 2007. It was produced by Saro Cosentino (Franco Battiato, Peter Gabriel). ~ Mariano Prunes