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| Juan Gabriel, Music Star in Mexico, Dies at 66 | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Juan Gabriel, the prolific singer and songwriter who was one of Mexico’s most successful musical artists, died on Sunday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 66. | Juan Gabriel, the prolific singer and songwriter who was one of Mexico’s most successful musical artists, died on Sunday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 66. |
| Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, offered his condolences on Twitter to Juan Gabriel’s family and friends, calling him “one of the great musical icons of our country.” | Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, offered his condolences on Twitter to Juan Gabriel’s family and friends, calling him “one of the great musical icons of our country.” |
| Juan Gabriel’s publicist told The Associated Press that he had died on Sunday morning. Univison reported that he had suffered a heart attack. | Juan Gabriel’s publicist told The Associated Press that he had died on Sunday morning. Univison reported that he had suffered a heart attack. |
| An extraordinarily productive artist, Juan Gabriel released the first of several dozen albums in 1971 and continued to release records at a relentless pace, including two this year. He was nominated for six Grammy Awards and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1996, he was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame. | An extraordinarily productive artist, Juan Gabriel released the first of several dozen albums in 1971 and continued to release records at a relentless pace, including two this year. He was nominated for six Grammy Awards and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1996, he was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame. |
| Four of Juan Gabriel’s albums had reached No. 1 on the Billboard Latin chart in the last 18 months. He sold three million albums in the United States over the course of his career, a number dwarfed by his sales in Mexico. In 2009, when he was declared the Latin Recording Academy person of the year at the Latin Grammys, the academy released a statement saying that he had sold over 100 million albums in his career. | Four of Juan Gabriel’s albums had reached No. 1 on the Billboard Latin chart in the last 18 months. He sold three million albums in the United States over the course of his career, a number dwarfed by his sales in Mexico. In 2009, when he was declared the Latin Recording Academy person of the year at the Latin Grammys, the academy released a statement saying that he had sold over 100 million albums in his career. |
| Juan Gabriel was active until the end. He performed for two hours at the Los Angeles Forum on Friday, clad in one of his typical brightly colored outfits. In its review of the concert, Billboard called him “the ultimate showman.” | Juan Gabriel was active until the end. He performed for two hours at the Los Angeles Forum on Friday, clad in one of his typical brightly colored outfits. In its review of the concert, Billboard called him “the ultimate showman.” |
| He was adept at keeping up with shifting genres, combining a contemporary pop sensibility with traditional Mexican music, and often appearing with a full mariachi band in tow. A populist at heart, his songs were broadly relatable, focusing on the everyday dramas of life and love. | He was adept at keeping up with shifting genres, combining a contemporary pop sensibility with traditional Mexican music, and often appearing with a full mariachi band in tow. A populist at heart, his songs were broadly relatable, focusing on the everyday dramas of life and love. |
| Juan Gabriel was also known for his collaborative spirit, and he worked with, and his songs were covered by, many well-known Latin American artists, including Ana Gabriel and Marc Anthony. | Juan Gabriel was also known for his collaborative spirit, and he worked with, and his songs were covered by, many well-known Latin American artists, including Ana Gabriel and Marc Anthony. |
| Reviewing a concert in 2000, Jon Pareles of The New York Times called Juan Gabriel “a puckish figure onstage — part Tom Jones, part Liberace — with a teasing smile, an occasional hip wiggle and some surprisingly graceful dance steps.” | Reviewing a concert in 2000, Jon Pareles of The New York Times called Juan Gabriel “a puckish figure onstage — part Tom Jones, part Liberace — with a teasing smile, an occasional hip wiggle and some surprisingly graceful dance steps.” |
| Juan Gabriel was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez on Jan. 7, 1950, in the state of Michoacan, one of 10 siblings. He was raised by his mother and began writing his own songs at the age of 13. | Juan Gabriel was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez on Jan. 7, 1950, in the state of Michoacan, one of 10 siblings. He was raised by his mother and began writing his own songs at the age of 13. |
| Early hits like “No Tengo Dinero” often focused on his humble beginnings, making him something of a folk hero. | Early hits like “No Tengo Dinero” often focused on his humble beginnings, making him something of a folk hero. |
| Juan Gabriel never married. According to The Associated Press, a former secretary of his, Joaquin Munoz, claimed that the two men had a sexual relationship in a tell-all book, “Juan Gabriel and I.” He did not confirm or deny that he was gay, but his fans were surprised when years later it became known that he had fathered four children with a friend, Laura Salas. | Juan Gabriel never married. According to The Associated Press, a former secretary of his, Joaquin Munoz, claimed that the two men had a sexual relationship in a tell-all book, “Juan Gabriel and I.” He did not confirm or deny that he was gay, but his fans were surprised when years later it became known that he had fathered four children with a friend, Laura Salas. |
| Complete information on survivors was not immediately available. | Complete information on survivors was not immediately available. |
| Many of Juan Gabriel’s peers in the music industry mourned his passing online. Enrique Iglesias called him one of the most talented artists of all time. | Many of Juan Gabriel’s peers in the music industry mourned his passing online. Enrique Iglesias called him one of the most talented artists of all time. |
| Juan Gabriel stopped recording and performing for several years in the 1980s while battling his record label, BMG, for control of his music. He eventually came to an agreement with the company and gained control of many of his songs. | Juan Gabriel stopped recording and performing for several years in the 1980s while battling his record label, BMG, for control of his music. He eventually came to an agreement with the company and gained control of many of his songs. |