He lived hard and died young. Diomedes Díaz Maestre left this world in 2013 at the age of 56. He was a master of vallenato, the hot-and-sweet music from the Colombian Caribbean, marked by its passionate accordion lines and bitter narratives of unrequited love. During the '80s and '90s, Díaz collaborated with accordion greats such as Colacho Mendoza and Juancho Rois, recording vallenato standards that are treasured to this day. These album tracks and hits combine deep longing with life-affirming joy.