Guadalajara native Federico Torres began playing trumpet professionally at age 14.  In 1956, he moved to Mexico City where he spent the next several years playing with Mariachi Perla de Occidente, the group that accompanied Pedro Infante at that time.  

 In that ensemble, Federico played alongside Mariachi Spectacular Hall of Fame inductees Jesús Rodríguez de Híjar, Rigoberto Alfaro, and Juan Pinzón, all of whom he would later play beside in Silvestre Vargas’s legendary lineup.  After stints with Mariachi América de Alfredo Serna, Mariachi Nacional de Arcadio Elías, and Mariachi Tolteca de Miguel Martínez, Federico joined Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán in lat 1966.  Almost half a century later, he remains with Mariachi Vargas, where he is currently the group’s coordinator and senior member.