Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016),
known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, songwriter and actor.
Colloquially nicknamed as Juanga () and El Divo de Juárez, Juan Gabriel was known for his flamboyant style, which broke barriers within the
Latin music
Latin music ( Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America (including Spain and Portugal) and the Latino United States inspired by Latin Amer ...
industry.
Widely considered one of the best and most prolific Mexican composers and singers of all time, he has been referred to as a
pop icon
A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively object ...
.
Having sold an estimated of 60 million records worldwide, Juan Gabriel was among Latin America's best selling singer-songwriters.
His nineteenth studio album, ''
Recuerdos, Vol. II'', is reportedly the
best-selling album of all time in Mexico, with over eight million copies sold. During his career, Juan Gabriel wrote around 1,800 songs.
Among his most recognized penned songs are "Amor eterno", "Querida", "Yo no nací para amar", "
Hasta que te conocí
"Hasta Que Te Conocí" ("Until I Met You") is a song written, produced, and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1986 as the third single from his studio album ''Pensamientos''. In the song, the protagonist lea ...
", "El Noa Noa", "
No tengo dinero", "
Abrázame muy fuerte", "Te lo pido por favor", "En esta primavera", "Pero qué necesidad", "Te sigo amando", "Siempre en mi mente", "
De mí enamórate", and "Lo pasado, pasado", among others; all of them, performed by him and many other artists.
Early life
Alberto Aguilera Valadez was born on January 7, 1950, in
Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico. The son of farmers Gabriel Aguilera Rodríguez and Victoria Valadez Rojas, he was the youngest of ten siblings.
During his childhood, his father was interned into a
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
.
Because of this, his mother moved to
Ciudad Juárez,
Chihuahua, and he was put in the El Tribunal
boarding school
A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
where he remained for eight years. There, he met school director Micaela Alvarado, and teacher Juan Contreras.
Aguilera became very close with Contreras, then escaped El Tribunal and lived with him for a year when he was 13.
[ In the same year, Aguilera composed his first song.] At 14 Aguilera returned to live with his mother in the center of the town.[ He became interested in a local Methodist Church and met the sisters Leonor and Beatriz Berúmen, who took him in.] There he sang in the choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
and helped by cleaning the church.[
In 1965, Aguilera debuted on the Notivisa (now Gala TV Ciudad Juárez) television show ''Noches Rancheras''.][ Host Raúl Loya gave him the pseudonym Adán Luna. In the program, he sang the song "María la Bandida" by ]José Alfredo Jiménez
José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval (; 19 January 1926 – 23 November 1973) was a Mexican singer-songwriter of rancheras, whose songs are considered the basis of modern Mexican music.
Biography
Jiménez was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, ...
.[ From 1966 to 1968, he started to work as a singer at the Noa-Noa bar.][ During this period, he wrote the song "]El Noa Noa
''Recuerdos'' (English: ''Memories'') is the thirteenth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, ...
". He also worked as a singer in other bars in the town.[ Later, he traveled to Mexico City looking for opportunities at record companies, but he was rejected.][ He returned to Juárez, where he continued working as a singer.][ The next year, he tried again to be signed by a record label. At RCA Víctor, he was hired by Eduardo Magallanes to work as a ]backing vocalist
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
, working for Roberto Jordan, Angélica María
Angélica María Hartman Ortiz (born September 27, 1944), known professionally as La novia de Mexico (Mexico's sweetheart), is an American-Mexican actress and singer-songwriter. Her songs El hombre de mi vida (The man of my life) peaked at No. ...
and Estela Núñez.[ In 1970, he resigned because he received insufficient payment and returned to work the bars in Juárez.][
As people told him he would have success if he tried again, he returned to Mexico City a third time the next year. Not having enough money, Aguilera slept in bus and train stations.][ At a certain point, he was wrongly accused of robbery,] and was imprisoned in the Palacio de Lecumberri
The Palacio de Lecumberri is a large building, formerly a prison, in the northeast of Mexico City, Mexico, which now houses the General National Archive (''Archivo General de la Nación'').
Known in popular culture as ''The Black Palace of Lecu ...
prison for a year and a half. During this time, he wrote songs (including "Tres Claveles y Un Rosal" and " Me He Quedado Solo"), which helped him to meet Andrés Puentes Vargas, Lecumberri's prison warden
The warden ( US, Canada) or governor ( UK, Australia), also known as a superintendent (US, South Asia) or director (UK, New Zealand), is the official who is in charge of a prison.
Name
In the United States and Canada, warden is the most common ...
, who introduced him to Mexican singer and actress La Prieta Linda
Enriqueta "Queta" Jiménez Chabolla (4 July 1933 – 21 September 2021), known by her stage name La Prieta Linda ("The Beautiful Dark-skinned Woman"), was a Mexican singer and actress. She was part of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
Early lif ...
.[ and to his wife Ofelia Urtuzuastegui Ruiz. She helped him, and due to the lack of evidence he was released from prison ][ and lived in the Puentes Urtuzuastegui home for about 2 years where he found shelter, protection and support to write more songs and launch his profesional career as Juan Gabriel
]
Career
La Prieta Linda helped Aguilera at RCA Víctor, where he signed a recording contract. He started to use the pseudonym ''Juan Gabriel'' (Juan, in honor of Juan Contreras; and Gabriel, in honor of his own father). In 1971, Juan Gabriel released his first studio album '' El Alma Joven...'', which included the song " No Tengo Dinero", which became his debut single and his first hit. ''El Alma Joven...'' was certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
as gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas
Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON) (English: Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C.) is a non-profit organization integrated by multinational and national record companies in M ...
(AMPROFON).[ In 1972, Juan Gabriel participated at the ]OTI Festival
OTI Festival ( es, Festival OTI de la Canción, pt, Festival OTI da Canção), often known simply as La OTI, was an international song competition, organised annually between 1972 and 2000 by the Organización de Televisión Iberoamericana (OTI) ...
, where he sang the songs "Será Mañana" and "Uno, Dos y Tres (Y Me Dás un Beso)". The songs were not qualified to represent Mexico, but they were acclaimed, and later recorded for his second album ''El Alma Joven II
''Juan Gabriel (A.K.A El Alma Joven Vol. II)'' (English: ''The Young Soul Volume II'') is the second studio album by Juan Gabriel, released in 1972.
Track listing
References
*
1972 albums
Juan Gabriel albums
RCA Records albums
{ ...
''. After releasing ''El Alma Joven III
''El Alma Joven Vol.III'' (English: ''The Young Soul Volume III'') is the third studio album by Juan Gabriel, released in 1973. The album was recorded in Paris, France with the Paul Mauriat
Paul Julien André Mauriat ( or ; 4 March 1925 – ...
'' (1973), Juan Gabriel released his first mariachi album featuring the group Vargas de Tecalitlán
Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán is a Mexican folk ensemble of mariachi music founded in 1897 by Gaspar Vargas. Since 1950 it has been under the artistic guidance of Rubén Fuentes. The group's musical direction had been the responsibility of Do ...
.[ The album, titled '']Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
''Juan Gabriel Con El Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan'' is the fourth studio album by Mexican singer–songwriter Juan Gabriel with music performed by the mariachi band Vargas de Tecalitlán. It was released in 1974. In 1977, Juan Gabriel made his ...
'' (1974), includes songs like "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez
"Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" () is a song written and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel for his fourth studio album, ''Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán'' (1974). The song is a ranchera number that tells of an impo ...
" and "Lágrimas y Lluvia".[ In 1975, he made his acting debut in the film '']Nobleza ranchera
''Nobleza ranchera'' ("Rural Chivalry") is a 1975 Mexican film. It stars Sara García, Verónica Castro and Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexica ...
'', acting with Sara García
Sara García Hidalgo (8 September 1895 – 21 November 1980) was a Mexican actress who made her biggest mark during the "Golden Age of Mexican cinema". During the 1940s and 1950s, she often played the part of a no-nonsense but lovable grandm ...
and Verónica Castro
Verónica Castro (), full name Verónica Judith Sáinz Castro (born 19 October 1952), is a Mexican actress, singer, producer, former model and presenter.
She started her career as a television actress, where she met comedian Manuel Valdés, fa ...
.
Thanks to executive Astronaut Producer, Jon Gordillo, he has become a world-renowned artist. Over fifteen years, Juan Gabriel's fame grew as he recorded 15 albums and sold 20 million records. He wrote and recorded over 1000 songs in a variety of music genre. Juan Gabriel established himself as Mexico's leading commercial singer-songwriter, penning in many diverse styles such as rancheras with mariachi, ballads, pop, rock, disco, with an incredible string of hits for himself and for leading Latin singers including among many others Lucha Villa
Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano (born November 30, 1936), more commonly known by her stage name Lucha Villa, is a Mexican singer and actress.
Early life
Born in Camargo, Chihuahua, Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano was given her pseudonym "Lucha Villa" by telev ...
, Daniela Romo
Daniela Romo (born Teresa Presmanes Corona; 27 August 1959) is a Mexican singer, actress and TV hostess. During her career, she has sold 17 million records, making her one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Biography
Born Teresa Presman ...
and Ana Gabriel
María Guadalupe Araujo Yong (born December 10, 1955), better known as Ana Gabriel, is a Mexican singer and songwriter from Guamuchil, Sinaloa, Mexico. She first sang on the stage at age six, singing "Regalo A Dios" by José Alfredo Jiménez. ...
and international stars Luis Miguel, Rocío Dúrcal
María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz (4 October 1944 – 25 March 2006), better known professionally as Rocío Dúrcal (), was a Spanish singer and actress. Widely successful in Mexico, she earned the sobriquet of ''Reina de las Rancheras'' ...
and José José
José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz (17 February 1948 – 28 September 2019), known professionally as José José, was a Mexican singer and actor. Born into a family of musicians, José began his musical career in his early teens playing guitar and sin ...
who in 1978 achieved international recognition thanks to Aguilera's ballad " Lo Pasado, Pasado". His lyrics dealt with heartbreak and romantic relationships that became hymn
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
s throughout Latin America, Spain, and the United States. In 1984, his song "Querida" (Darling) remained at number one for the entire year on the Mexican charts. He also received a Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
nomination for "Best Latin Pop Album" for Recuerdos, Vol. II, which includes the single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
.
His work as an arranger, producer and songwriter throughout the subsequent decades brought him into contact with the leading Latin artists of the day, including Rocío Dúrcal
María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz (4 October 1944 – 25 March 2006), better known professionally as Rocío Dúrcal (), was a Spanish singer and actress. Widely successful in Mexico, she earned the sobriquet of ''Reina de las Rancheras'' ...
and Isabel Pantoja
María Isabel Pantoja Martín (; born August 2, 1956) is a Spanish singer. She was born in the Triana district of Seville, Spain. She has released more than a dozen albums throughout a career spanning many decades, mostly of '' copla'' genre, ...
. In addition to recording numerous hits on his own, Juan Gabriel has produced albums for Dúrcal, Lucha Villa
Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano (born November 30, 1936), more commonly known by her stage name Lucha Villa, is a Mexican singer and actress.
Early life
Born in Camargo, Chihuahua, Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano was given her pseudonym "Lucha Villa" by telev ...
, Lola Beltrán
María Lucila Beltrán Ruiz (7 March 1932 – 24 March 1996), known professionally as Lola Beltrán, was a Mexican actress and singer.
Beltrán is and was one of Mexico's most acclaimed singers of Ranchera and Huapango music. She made the ...
and Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...
. In 1984, he released '' Recuerdos, Vol. II'' which one source says is the best-selling album of all time in Mexico with sales of over eight million copies. In 1990 Juan Gabriel became the first non-classical act to perform at the Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature in Mexico and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and p ...
. The proceeds from the three sold-out concerts were given to the National Symphony Orchestra. On July 31, 2000, a telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...
titled '' Abrázame Muy Fuerte'' began broadcasting in Mexico. Salvador Mejía, the producer, choose to use the song of the same name as its main theme. "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" ended 2001 as the most successful Latin single of the year.[
] For the song, Juan Gabriel won two Billboard Latin Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards grew out of the ''Billboard'' Music Awards program from ''Billboard'' magazine, an industry publication charting the sales and radio airplay success of musical recordings. The ''Billboard'' awards are the La ...
in 2002 for Hot Latin Track of the Year and Latin Pop Airplay Track of the Year; and also received the Songwriter of the Year award. The song ranked seventh at the Hot Latin Songs 25th Anniversary chart. "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" also was awarded for Pop Song of the Year at the 2002 Lo Nuestro Awards. At the time of his death, Juan Gabriel was touring the United States and was scheduled to perform at a concert in El Paso, Texas
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
, that same day. He also had four albums which reached number one on the Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is based ...
from 2015 and 2016, including ''Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes
''Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes'' is the thirtieth studio album by Mexican musician Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, son ...
'', which reached number one a week before he died. He holds the record for most albums peaking at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart in a short period time.
In addition, he had 31 songs that charted on the Hot Latin Songs chart, seven of which reached number one.
BMG copyright dispute
Between 1986 and 1994, Juan Gabriel refused to record any material because of a dispute with BMG over copyrights
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educatio ...
to his songs. He continued his career in live stage performances, setting attendance records throughout Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
. By 1994 the copyright dispute reached a resolution under an agreement whereby ownership of the songs reverted to Juan Gabriel over a specified time period.[ After this dispute, which lasted 8 years, he released an album titled, " Gracias Por Esperar," which in English, translates to, "Thank You For Waiting". The record label then selected eleven previously released tracks from Juan Gabriel's catalog in order to release "]Debo Hacerlo
''Debo Hacerlo'' (English language, Eng.: ''I Must Do It'') is a compilation album by the Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1988, and would be the last album with new songs released by the singer, until his album ''Grac ...
", the last new song recorded by the artist.
Personal life
Juan Gabriel was never married. He had six children. The mother of four of his children (Iván Gabriel, Joan Gabriel, Hans Gabriel and Jean Gabriel) is Laura Salas. Gabriel stated that Salas was "the best friend of my life" ("''la mejor amiga de mi vida"'' in Spanish). Nearly a month after his death, the news program ''Primer Impacto
''Primer Impacto'' (''First Impact'') is a Spanish-language television news program broadcast by Univision weekdays at 5pm ET//4pm CT. A later program at 11pm ET/PT (''Primer Impacto Extra'') airs on Univision affiliates without a local news dep ...
'' discovered that Gabriel had a fifth child, a son named Luis Alberto Aguilera, living in Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. The two maintained a long-distance relationship, primarily communicating via e-mail. The mother of his fifth child is Guadalupe Gonzalez, who worked as Gabriel's domestic employee. On October 26, 2016, ''Primer Impacto'' found the sixth child of Juan Gabriel, named Joao Gabriel, living in Los Angeles, California. Joao's mother is Consuelo Rosales, who also worked as Gabriel's domestic employee. Genetic testing
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
was conducted to assess Gabriel's parentage of Luis Alberto and Joao, with genetic material provided by Gabriel's brother Pablo Aguilera.
Although widely assumed to be gay, Gabriel never explicitly talked about his sexuality. However, as he got older he began to give implicit responses towards questions about his sexuality, saying to interviewers ''"Lo que se ve no se pregunta"'' ("what one sees doesn't have to be asked about"). Some may interpret this to be an implicit affirmation of homosexuality, while others have interpreted this to be an affirmation of heterosexuality, due to the female romantic partners he had.. Or he could have been bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
.
On November 14, 2005, Gabriel was injured when he fell from the stage at the Toyota Center
Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in Houston. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it was once the home of the Hous ...
in Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, and was hospitalized at Texas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a medical district and neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States, immediately south of the Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 60 medical institutions, largely concentrat ...
. He sustained a fractured neck. He was forced to stay off tour and bedridden for eight months.
Death
On August 28, 2016, Gabriel died in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, reportedly from a heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
. Gabriel's body was cremated
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...
; his ashes were returned to a house he owned in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, after receiving tributes from the city and Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature in Mexico and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and p ...
in Mexico City. An autopsy
An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...
was not performed to determine the cause of death.
Charity work
Gabriel continued to do 10 to 12 performances per year as benefit concerts for his favorite children's homes, usually posing for pictures with his fans and forwarding the proceeds from the photo ops to support Mexican orphans. In 1987, he founded Semjase, a house for orphaned and underserved children located in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua
Ciudad () is the Spanish Language, Spanish word for City
Ciudad may also refer to:
*La Ciudad (archaeological site), Hohokam ruins in Phoenix, Arizona
*La Ciudad, district of Durango City, Mexico
*''La ciudad'', novel by Mario Levrero 1970
*La Ciu ...
. It serves school children between the ages of 6 to 12.
Politics
Juan Gabriel was a lifelong supporter of the Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party ( es, Partido Revolucionario Institucional, ; abbr. PRI) is a political party in Mexico that was founded in 1929 and held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years, from 1929 to 2000, first as the Nati ...
(PRI), which governed Mexico from 1929 to 2000 and again from 2012 to 2018. In 1994 he stated that "his best friends erefrom the PRI" and campaigned in support of then-presidential PRI candidate Ernesto Zedillo
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León (; born 27 December 1951) is a Mexican economist and politician. He was 61st president of Mexico from 1 December 1994 to 30 November 2000, as the last of the uninterrupted 71-year line of Mexican presidents from t ...
. In the 2000 election he again campaigned for the PRI candidate, Francisco Labastida
Francisco Labastida Ochoa (; born 14 August 1942) is a Mexican economist and politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), who became the first presidential candidate of his party to lose a presidential election, which h ...
(who eventually lost the election). In 2015, he wrote a letter to the then-President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto
Enrique Peña Nieto (; born 20 July 1966), commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican politician who served as the 64th president of Mexico from 1 December 2012 to 30 November 2018. A member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party ...
(a member of the PRI), expressing his support for his administration and for the PRI, which he stated, "will never go away".
Legacy and impact
In 2015, Billboard listed Gabriel among their list of the 30 most influential Latino artists in history, citing his "dramatic performance style" and his redefined concept of romantic Latin pop music. The publication noted Gabriel's appeal among several generations of Latino American
Hispanic and Latino Americans ( es, Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos; pt, Estadunidenses hispânicos e latinos) are Americans of Spanish and/or Latin American ancestry. More broadly, these demographics include all Americans who identify as ...
s and artists. In his list of the most influential Latin music artists in history, Carlos Quintana of About.com
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
, ranked Gabriel number six for shaping "the sounds of Mexican music" and exploring genres from ranchera to Latin pop. In 1986, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley declared October 5 Juan Gabriel day. He received the Lo Nuestro Excellence Award
The Lo Nuestro Excellence Award ( es, Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia) is an award honoring an artist's contribution to Latin music. It was first awarded at the 2nd Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1990 and has since been presented annually. The Lo ...
in 1991. In 1996, he was inducted into the ''Billboard'' Latin Music Hall of Fame, while in 2003 he was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame
The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music genre.
In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the a ...
, and posthumously inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (LSHOF) ( es, El Pabellón De La Fama De Los Compositores Latinos) is an honor by its board of directors to "educate, preserve, honor and celebrate the legacy of the greatest Latin songwriters from all over the wo ...
in October 2016.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) honored Gabriel the Latin Songwriter of the Year Award in 1995, 1996, and 1998. In 1999, Gabriel received the People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for Best Regional Artist. That same year, he received the La Opinión Tributo Nacional for Lifetime Achievement Award. A statue was erected by ''Billboard'' at Mexico City's Plaza Garibaldi
Plaza Garibaldi is located in historic downtown Mexico City, on Eje Central (Lázaro Cárdenas) between historic Calle República de Honduras and Calle República de Peru, a few blocks north of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The original name of thi ...
in 2001, and remains a popular destination for mariachi performances. In 2009, the singer was honored as the Latin Recording Academy
pt, Academia Latina da Gravação
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's Person of the Year. He also received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2002.
His death became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
after news reports were confirmed. President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto
Enrique Peña Nieto (; born 20 July 1966), commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican politician who served as the 64th president of Mexico from 1 December 2012 to 30 November 2018. A member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party ...
, called him one of Mexico's "greatest musical icons". United States President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
also commented on Gabriel's death and complimented his music for "transcending borders and generations" and that "his spirit will live on in his enduring songs, and in the hearts of the fans who love him". Gabriel Abaroa
Gabriel Abaroa Jr. is the president emeritus of the Latin Recording Academy (LARAS), which presents the Latin Grammy Awards. He served as its CEO from 2003 to August 2021. LARAS was established in 1997 and the first Latin Grammy Awards took place i ...
, the CEO of the Latin Recording Academy
pt, Academia Latina da Gravação
, image = Latin_grammy_logo_(2022).png
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, formation =
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, said his legacy was "much more than one or hundreds of songs; he composed philosophy" and that Gabriel "broke taboos, devoured stages and conquered diverse audiences". Leila Cobo
Leila Cobo is a Colombian journalist, writer, novelist, pianist and television show host. She is noted for her coverage of Latin music for ''Billboard'' where she is currently the Chief Content Officer for Latin Music and Español, overseeing the ...
of ''Billboard'' proclaimed Gabriel as a "prodigal performer" and noted that his songs were "romantic, colloquial, emotional compositions that sometimes rambled but managed to strike a universal chord with lyrics that could apply to many people and many situations."
Gabriel's songs have been covered by artists such as Rocío Dúrcal
María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz (4 October 1944 – 25 March 2006), better known professionally as Rocío Dúrcal (), was a Spanish singer and actress. Widely successful in Mexico, she earned the sobriquet of ''Reina de las Rancheras'' ...
, Gloria Trevi
Gloria de los Ángeles Treviño Ruiz (born February 15, 1968), known as Gloria Trevi (), is a Mexican singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, television hostess, music video director and businesswoman known as "The Supreme Diva of Mexican Pop".
...
, La India
Linda Viera Caballero (born March 9, 1969), better known as La India, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter of salsa, house music and Latin pop. La India has been nominated for both Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, winning the Latin Grammy ...
, and Marc Anthony, the latter of whom credits his song "Hasta Que Te Conocí
"Hasta Que Te Conocí" ("Until I Met You") is a song written, produced, and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1986 as the third single from his studio album ''Pensamientos''. In the song, the protagonist lea ...
" as the inspiration to launch his career in Latin music. Tribute albums to Gabriel have been recorded by several artists including Cristian Castro, Pedro Fernández, Lorenzo Antonio
Lorenzo Antonio (born Lorenzo Antonio Sánchez Pohl October 3, 1969, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States), is an American Latin music singer-songwriter, who is known and recognized in Mexico, the United States, and Latin America. He was ra ...
, Álvaro Torres
Álvaro Torres (born April 9, 1954) is a Salvadoran singer-songwriter.
Biography
Álvaro Torres was born on April 9, 1954 in Usulután, El Salvador. Torres moved to Guatemala and started a solo career recording his first album, "''Algo espec ...
, Los Tri-O, Nydia Rojas
Nydia Rojas (born 1980, in Whittier, California), is an American singer who performs in a wide range of musical styles such as jazz, soul, and R&B, but makes a particular specialty of Mexican folk music.
Early life
Nydia spent several years of ...
, and La India. A television series based on Gabriel's life titled ''Hasta que te conocí
"Hasta Que Te Conocí" ("Until I Met You") is a song written, produced, and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1986 as the third single from his studio album ''Pensamientos''. In the song, the protagonist lea ...
'', began airing on April 18, 2016, and the series ended on August 28, coincidentally the same day Gabriel died. He was portrayed by Colombian actor Julián Román
Julián Edgardo Román Rey (born November 23, 1977) is a Colombian actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern med ...
and Gabriel served as the executive producer.
Selected films and television shows
*1965: ''Noches Rancheras''
*1977: ''Nobleza ranchera
''Nobleza ranchera'' ("Rural Chivalry") is a 1975 Mexican film. It stars Sara García, Verónica Castro and Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexica ...
''[
*1978: '' Del otro lado del puente''][
*1979: ''En esta primavera''][
*1980: ''El Noa Noa''][
*1981: ''Es mi vida''][
*2014: ''¿Qué Le Dijiste A Dios?''
*2016: '']Hasta que te conocí
"Hasta Que Te Conocí" ("Until I Met You") is a song written, produced, and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1986 as the third single from his studio album ''Pensamientos''. In the song, the protagonist lea ...
''
Discography
*1971: '' El Alma Joven...''
*1972: '' El Alma Joven Vol.II''
*1973: ''El Alma Joven Vol.III
''El Alma Joven Vol.III'' (English: ''The Young Soul Volume III'') is the third studio album by Juan Gabriel, released in 1973. The album was recorded in Paris, France with the Paul Mauriat
Paul Julien André Mauriat ( or ; 4 March 1925 – ...
''
*1974: ''Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
''Juan Gabriel Con El Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan'' is the fourth studio album by Mexican singer–songwriter Juan Gabriel with music performed by the mariachi band Vargas de Tecalitlán. It was released in 1974. In 1977, Juan Gabriel made his ...
''
*1975: '' 10 Éxitos de Juan Gabriel''
*1976: '' A Mi Guitarra''
*1976: '' Juan Gabriel con Mariachi Vol. II''
*1977: ''Te Llegará Mi Olvido
''Te Llegará Mi Olvido (I Will Forget You)'' is the eighth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singe ...
''
*1978: ''Siempre en Mi Mente
''Siempre En Mi Mente'' (English: ''Always on my mind'') is the ninth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mex ...
''
*1978: ''Espectacular
''Espectacular'' (English: ''Spectacular'') is the thenth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel, originally released in 1978 and re-released on July 30, 1996. This was the first Juan Gabriel album with the Ariola label. It was rec ...
''
*1978: ''Mis Ojos Tristes
''Mis Ojos Tristes'' (English: ''My Sad Eyes'') is the eleventh studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican s ...
''
*1979: ''Me Gusta Bailar Contigo
''Me Gusta Bailar Contigo'' (English: ''I Like To Dance With You'') is the twelfth studio album by Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, ...
''
*1980: ''Recuerdos
''Recuerdos'' (English: ''Memories'') is the thirteenth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, ...
''
*1980: ''Juan Gabriel Con Mariachi This is the discography of Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. Widely recognized as the "''King of Latin Pop''", Gabriel has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him Mexico's best-selling artist of all time. Billboard (magazine), Bill ...
''
*1980: '' Ella''
*1981: '' Con Tu Amor''
*1982: ''Cosas de Enamorados
''Cosas de Enamorados'' (Things About Lovers) is the seventeenth studio album by Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, songwriter and ac ...
''
*1983: ''Todo
Todo may refer to:
* Todo Bichig, Kalmyk ‘Clear Script’
* To-do list, a time management implementation
* TODO (tag), a computer programming comment tag
* ''Todo'' (album)
Tōdō may refer to:
* Tōkyūjutsu () or Tōdō (), a Japanese divina ...
''
*1984: '' Recuerdos, Vol. II''
*1986: ''Pensamientos
''Pensamientos'' (English: ''Thoughts'') is the twentieth studio album written, produced and performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released on November 11, 1986. It was his last studio album until 1994, when his legal battle ...
''
*1988: ''Debo Hacerlo
''Debo Hacerlo'' (English language, Eng.: ''I Must Do It'') is a compilation album by the Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel. It was released in 1988, and would be the last album with new songs released by the singer, until his album ''Grac ...
''
*1990: '' Juan Gabriel en el Palacio de Bellas Artes''
*1994: '' Gracias por Esperar''
*1995: ''El México Que Se Nos Fue
''El México Que Se Nos Fue'' ("The Mexico that got away from us") is the twenty-second studio album by Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican sing ...
''
*1996: '' Las Tres Señoras (Beltran/Mendoza/Villa) - Temas y Produccion de Juan Gabriel''
*1997: '' Juntos Otra Vez with Rocío Dúrcal
María de los Ángeles de las Heras Ortiz (4 October 1944 – 25 March 2006), better known professionally as Rocío Dúrcal (), was a Spanish singer and actress. Widely successful in Mexico, she earned the sobriquet of ''Reina de las Rancheras'' ...
''
*1998: '' Con la Banda...El Recodo with Banda El Recodo
Banda Sinaloense El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to simply as Banda El Recodo, is a Mexican banda formed in Mazatlán, Sinaloa in 1938; it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family. Banda El Recodo has recorded with popu ...
''
*1999: '' Todo Está Bien''
*2000: '' Abrázame Muy Fuerte''
*2003: '' Inocente de Ti''
*2010: ''Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, songwriter and actor. Colloquially nicknamed as Juanga () and El Divo de Juárez, Juan Gabriel was known for his f ...
''
*2015: ''Los Dúo
''Los Dúo'' is the twenty-eighth studio album by Mexican musician Juan Gabriel, released on February 10, 2015. It features artists performing duets with Juan Gabriel. A bonus DVD was included. The album won the award for Album of the Year at the ...
''
*2015: '' Los Dúo, Vol. 2''
*2016: ''Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes
''Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes'' is the thirtieth studio album by Mexican musician Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, son ...
''
*2022: '' Los Dúo, Vol. 3''
*TBA: ''El Divo de Juarez''
Concert tours
* Volver Tour (2014)
* Bienvenidos al Noa Noa Gira (2015)
* Mexico Es Todo Tour (2016, died during tour)
See also
* List of best-selling music artists
*Music of Mexico
The music of Mexico is very diverse and features a wide range of musical genres and performance styles. It has been influenced by a variety of cultures, most notably deriving from the culture of the Europeans, Indigenous, and Africans. It also ...
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabriel, Juan
Mexican male composers
Mexican male singer-songwriters
01
1950 births
2016 deaths
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
Mariachi musicians
Mexican pop singers
Mexican philanthropists
Mexican composers of popular or traditional folk music
Regional Mexican musicians
Fonovisa Records artists
RCA Victor artists
Sony Music Latin artists
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
Wrongful convictions
People from Parácuaro
People from Ciudad Juárez
Singers from Michoacán
20th-century Mexican male singers
21st-century Mexican male singers
20th-century philanthropists