Hate to listen to this one.
Nation music legend Johnny Rodriguez, the Texas native who pioneered Hispanic nation music, died on Friday, Could 9 on the age of 73 after being admitted to hospice.
Rodriguez was born Juan Raul Davis Rodriguez in 1951, the youngest of 10 kids to a Mexican American household in Texas. However a collection of household tragedies led to Johnny ending up in jail by the age of 18. Whereas he was locked up, a Texas Ranger heard him singing in his cell and instructed promoter Glad Shahan about his expertise.
After he was launched, Shahan employed Rodriguez to carry out at Alamo Village, a vacationer attraction and film set that was inbuilt 1957 for the John Wayne film The Alamo. And it was whereas performing there that he caught the eye of nation singers Tom T. Corridor and Bobby Naked, who inspired Rodriguez to maneuver to Nashville to pursue a profession in nation music.
Rodriguez moved to music metropolis on the age of 21 with solely $14 in his pocket, however Corridor employed him as a member of his band and he started writing songs earlier than touchdown a file take care of Mercury Information.
In 1972 he launched his first single “Go Me By (If You’re Solely Passing By way of),” and the subsequent yr he scored his first #1 singles with “You All the time Come Again To Hurting Me” and “Using My Thumb to Mexico.”
He launched his debut album Introducting in 1973, reaching the highest of the nation charts and incomes Rodriguez a nomination for Male Vocalist of the 12 months on the CMA Awards. And the success led to a few extra #1 singles in 1975, with “I Simply Can’t Get Her Out of My Thoughts” “Simply Get Up and Shut the Door,” and “Love Put a Track in My Coronary heart.”
In 1979 Rodriguez moved to Epic Information and partnered with legendary producer Billy Sherrill, who was greatest recognized for his work with George Jones and Tammy Wynette. However his mainstream success pale, and together with issues in his profession Rodriguez additionally started combating drug habit. His final high 20 hit got here in 1988 with “I Didn’t (Each Probability I Had).”
He was briefly married to Willie Nelson’s daughter, Lana Nelson, in 1995, however the marriage solely lasted 7 months.
Regardless of his success slowing down within the ’90s, Rodriguez continued to tour and launch new materials, however in 1998 he was charged with homicide after by chance taking pictures and killing an acquaintance at his residence in Texas after mistakenly believing the person to be a burglar. He could be acquitted of homicide by a jury in 1999, and he bought again to touring and releasing new albums, together with a number of best hits data and his ultimate Stay From Texas album in 2012.
In 2007, Rodriguez was inducted into the Texas Nation Music Corridor of Fame, and in 2010 he obtained the Institute of Hispanic Tradition Pioneer Award for his accomplishment as the primary main Hispanic singer in nation music.
Rodriguez leaves behind his spouse Debbie McNeely, who he married in 1998 and a daughter, 27-year previous Aubry Rae Rodriguez. And he after all additionally leaves behind a legacy as a pioneer for Hispanic nation music, usually infusing Latin sounds into his music and even singing some verses of his music in Spanish.
In a touching put up asserting his passing, his daughter Aubry remembered her dad as a “legendary musician” and a “deeply cherished” husband and father:
“It’s with profound disappointment and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Johnny Rodriguez, who left us peacefully on Could ninth, surrounded by household.
Dad was not solely a legendary musician whose artistry touched tens of millions around the globe, but in addition a deeply cherished husband, father, uncle, and brother whose heat, humor, and compassion formed the lives of all who knew him.
We’re immensely grateful for the outpouring of affection and assist from followers, colleagues, and pals throughout this time of grief. Whereas the world has misplaced a rare expertise, we have now misplaced somebody irreplaceable – and we ask for privateness as we navigate this painful second collectively.”
