Juan Gabriel was more than just a songwriter and singer for the hundreds of fans in his native Mexico who thronged Mexico City’s Garibaldi square to wish him farewell. Gabriel died unexpectedly of an apparent heart attack at his Santa Monica home Sunday.
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At the time of his passing, Gabriel was amidst a 22-city arena tour in support of his latest album, and had just played a show at the LA Forum on Friday night.
Born Alberto Aguilera Valadez, Gabriel was a singer/songwriter and performer, and according to The Hollywood Reporter was number 18 on Billboard Money Makers’ 2015 list.
He also acted in several films after his debut in 1975 in the movie Nobleza Ranchera.
Legendary Mexican singer and songwriter Juan Gabriel died Sunday morning at the age of 66 after suffering a massive heart attack while on tour in California, his family says.
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (the artist’s legal name) led an illustrious career that spanned a period of about 45 years (1971 to 2016) during which he reportedly sold more than 100 million albums.
Cops were called to a place in Santa Monica on the morning of August 28, where authorities reportedly pronounced Juan Gabriel dead on the scene, according to TMZ.
Many fans are mourning right now, including Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto. “Juan is a legend in the world of Latin Music and someone that I truly admire”. “He left us too soon”, he added.
Ana Martinez, a spokesperson for the Walk of Fame, posted a simple message on Twitter saying “may he rest in peace”.
His classic hits include “Querida”, “Porqué me haces llorar?”
The youngest of 10 children, he rose from rags to riches.
News of his death brought an outpouring of old songs and remembrance on social media. And many of Gabriel’s Central Valley fans are remembering his songs.
Another fan wrote: “In the next few days, he’ll be called Mexico’s Elton John, Madonna, Michael Jackson, etc”.
“Juan Gabriel Eterno” ran the headline in El Universal, with a picture of the star.
“Juan Gabriel was very effeminate on stage, yet he was one of these artists, where if you went to a Juan Gabriel concert you would see these macho guys in tears and you would see girls in tears”, said Leila Cobo, a who directs coverage of Latin music for Billboard Magazine.
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Gabriel was remembered for his impact. He was Elton, Prince and Bowie all rolled into one – a flamboyant showman with a coiffed pompadour and a flowing cape. The family lost contact with his father after he was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Mexico City when Juan Gabriel was still a baby.
