Juan Gabriel leaves behind a desolate legion of fans spread around the world, and Sunday afternoon he was the top-trending Twitter topic worldwide, outpacing even the VMAs. The statement says he died Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, but does not say where. He was Mexico’s top-selling artist, known for his ballads and mariachi songs, with his hits including “Hasta Que Te Conoci” (“Until I Met You”), “Amor Eterno” (“Eternal Love”), and “Querida” (“Dear”).
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Famous musicians from Latin pop star Ricky Martin to John Fogerty, lead of guitarist of 1960s rock band Creedence, saluted the Mexican composer, who over his lifetime wrote some 1,500 songs (link in Spanish) and sold more 100 million albums, according to the AP. According to Billboard.com, Juan Gabriel had the highest-grossing Latin tour of 2015, earning $31.8 million for 32 shows in the USA and Puerto Rico.
Asked about the possibility of an album in English, he said that “American music has infiltrated the entire world enough as it is”. He performed at L.A.’s The Forum Friday night – his shows were often as long as five hours – but succumbed to a heart attack while preparing to go on to El Paso, Texas.
He signed his first record contract in 1971.
At the time of his death, Gabriel, already one of Latin musics biggest superstars, was arguably at the apex of his career, despite his age.
Earlier in the day, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted his own condolences. Tucked inside were a pair of his records from the 1970s, with album covers featuring Juan Gabriel’s boyish face staring off into the distance. Due to his achievements, contributions and worldwide recognition he was also awarded a star in Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in May of 2002. Many said his death brought them to tears.
After his father was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Mexico City, his mother worked as a maid to support the family. “I have many loves but the most important are: my mother, my children, my sister, my brothers, my nieces and nephews and my songs”. As importantly, Juan Gabriel was a beloved father and grandfather.
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“We’re gonna miss him a lot”, said Lourdes Labrado, a janitor who came to pay her respects. He is survived by four children.
