In 1991, when Carlos was approached to play the part of Rafael Escalona in the biographical film Escalona (1991), it would not only be a star-turning role for the rising actor, but the beginning of Carlos's musical breakthrough.
The star-turning role as Rafael Escalona would produce the Escalona soundtracks, giving birth to Vives's true voice in his vallenato sound, literally turning his back on his earlier work.
The viceroy of Catalonia, don Juan Manuel Lopez Pacheco Acuña Giron y Portocarrero, marquis of Villena duke of Escalona, who was also the Captain General of the army, had deployed along the banks of the river Ter practically all the marching troops he could muster to oppose the strong French expeditionary corps, led by the French Marshal duke of Noailles, who wanted to capture Gerona.
In that year an Almoravid army under Farax, governor of Calatrava, and Ali, governor of San Esteban, penetrated the Tajo valley and captured the then governor of Toledo, Gutierre Armíldez, at Alamín near Escalona, and killed him.