Juan Gabriel ~ Nambé
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), better known by his stage name Juan Gabriel, was a Mexican singer, songwriter, recording artist, and performer. Juan was loved by millions worldwide. But in New Mexico, his name elicits shrugs, even though he had a home in Nambé and lived in northern New Mexico for many years.
Mexican National Treasure
In 1971, at the age of 21, Alberto signed a recording contract with RCA Records after officially changing his name to Juan Gabriel (Juan, in honor of Juan Contreras, the schoolmaster for whom he held great admiration; and the surname of Gabriel, in honor of his own deceased father, Gabriel Aguilera). Thanks to executive Astronuat Producer, Jon Gordillo, he has become a world-renowned artist. Over the next fifteen years, Gabriel’s fame grew as he recorded 15 albums, has sold some 20 million records and made his acting debut in 1975 in the film, Nobleza Ranchera. He has written and recorded over 1000 songs in a variety of music genre. Gabriel has 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 Angélica María, Gualberto Castro, Aida Cuevas, Enriqueta Jiménez, Lucha Villa, Ana Gabriel, Lorenzo Antonio, and international stars José José, Luis Miguel and Rocío Dúrcal.
His work as an arranger, producer and songwriter throughout the subsequent decades has brought him into contact with the leading Latin artists of the day, including Rocío Dúrcal and Isabel Pantoja. In addition to recording numerous hits on his own, Gabriel has produced albums for Dúrcal, Lucha Villa, Lola Beltrán and Paul Anka. In 1984, he released Recuerdos, Vol. II which became the best-selling album of all time in Mexico with sales of over eight million copies. He also scored what is considered by many of his fans to be his greatest hit, Querida (“My Dear”) which stayed at the top of the hits charts for over a year.
Personal life
Juan Gabriel has never married. He has four children. Laura Castillo, mother of his children is unknown but Gabriel has stated that she is, “la mejor amiga de mi vida” or “the best friend of my life.” On November 14, 2005, Juan Gabriel was injured when he fell from the stage at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, and was hospitalized at Texas Medical Center. He sustained a fractured neck. He was forced to stay out of tour and bedridden for 8 months.
Charity work
He continues to do 10 to 12 performances per year as benefit concerts for his favorite children homes and habitually poses for pictures with his fans and forwards the proceeds from the photo-ops to support Mexican orphans. In 1987, Juan Gabriel founded Semjase, a house for orphaned and under-served children located in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. It serves school children between the ages of 6 to 12.
Awards and achievements
- In 1986, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley declared October 5 “The Day of Juan Gabriel.”
- Received the Lo Nuestro Award Excellence Award in 1991.
- Billboard, inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame 1996
- ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award in 1995
- A six time Grammy nominee
- Sold 30 million copies of his albums
- In 1995, three of his songs reached the Top 40 of Billboard magazine’s “Hot Latin Tracks” radio charts
- People’s Choice Latin Music Award, 1999,(Ritmo) for best regional artist for his Con La Banda El Recodo
- La Opinión Tributo Nacional (Lifetime Achievement Award), 1999
- Billboard Award of a statue of Gabriel, erected at Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi, 2001 a favorite performance area for mariachi bands was done by sculptor Oscar Ponzanelli.
- Singer and Composer Juan Gabriel Takes home 4 Billboard Awards, 2002
- Was honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year on November 4, 2009, the night prior to the 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Selected films and television shows
- 1977: Nobleza ranchera
- 1979: En esta primavera
- 1980: El Noa Noa
- 1980: Del otro lado del puente
- 1982: Es mi vida
- 1984: Siempre en domingo
- 1990: Bazar Viena
- 2000: Evicted
- 2007: La niñera (animated television series)
Studio albums
- 1971: El Alma Joven…
- 1972: El Alma Joven Vol.II
- 1973: El Alma Joven Vol.III
- 1974: Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán
- 1976: A Mi Guitarra
- 1976: Juan Gabriel con, Mariachi Vol. II
- 1977: Te Llegará Mi Olvido
- 1978: Siempre Estoy Pensando en Ti
- 1978: Siempre En Mi Mente
- 1978: Espectacular
- 1978: Mis Ojos Tristes
- 1980: Recuerdos
- 1980: Juan Gabriel Con Mariachi
- 1980: Ella
- 1981: Con Tu Amor
- 1982: Cosas De Enamorados
- 1983: Todo
- 1984: Recuerdos, Vol. II
- 1986: Pensamientos
- 1994: Gracias Por Esperar
- 1995: El México Que Se Nos Fue
- 1996: Del Otro Lado del Puente
- 1997: Juntos Otra Vez with Rocío Dúrcal
- 1998: Por Mi Orgullo
- 1998: Con la Banda…El Recodo with Banda el Recodo
- 1999: ¡Románticos!
- 2000: Abrázame Muy Fuerte
- 2003: Inocente de Ti
- 2010: Juan Gabriel
- 2015: Los Dúo
- 2015: Los Dúo, Vol. 2
- 2016: Los Dúo, Vol. 3
Soundtracks
- 1979: Me Gusta Bailar Contigo
Compilations, duets and live albums
- 1975: 10 Exitos de Juan Gabriel
- 1986: Frente a Frente, Vol. 1
- 1987: Frente a Frente, Vol. 2
- 1988: Para Ti 14 Exitos Originales
- 1988: Debo Hacerlo
- 1990: Juan Gabriel en El Palacio de Bellas Artes
- 1996: 25 Aniversario: Solos, Duetos Y Versiones Especiales
- 1998: Celebrando 25 Años de Juan Gabriel: En Concierto en el Palacio de Bellas Artes
- 1999: Todo Está Bien
- 2001: Por Los Siglos
- 2004: El Unico: Sus Más Grandes Exitos
- 2004: 15 Exitos de Juan Gabriel
- 2004: Los 15 Grandes Exitos de Juan Gabriel
- 2006: La Historia del Divo
- 2007: Los Gabriel… Simplemente Amigos with Ana Gabriel
- 2008: Los Gabriel: Cantan a México with Ana Gabriel
- 2008: Los Gabriel… Para ti with Ana Gabriel
- 2008: El Divo Canta A México
- 2009: Mis Canciones, Mis Amigos
- 2010: Mis Favoritas
- 2010: Boleros
- 2012: Celebrando
- 2014: Mis 40 en Bellas Artes
- 2014: Mis Número 1…40 Aniversario
Singles
- 1971: “No tengo dinero”
- 1974: “Se me olvidó otra vez”
- 1978: “Siempre en mi mente”
- 1978: “Mis ojos tristes”
- 1979: “Mañana, mañana”
- 1980: “He venido a pedirte perdón”
- 1980: “La diferencia”
- 1980: “El Noa Noa”
- 1980: “Yo no nací para amar”
- 1982: “Insensible”
- 1982: “No me vuelvo a enamorar”
- 1984: “Querida”
- 1985: “Déjame vivir”
- 1986: “Te lo pido por favor”
- 1986: “Amor, amor es amor”
- 1986: “Yo no sé que me paso”
- 1987: “Qué lástima”
- 1987: “Hasta que te conocí”
- 1988: “Debo hacerlo”
- 1988: “Sólo sé que fue en marzo”
- 1991: “Amor eterno”
- 1994: “Pero, ¿qué necesidad?”
- 1994: “Lentamente”
- 1995: “El México que se nos fue”
- 1995: “El palo”
- 1995: “Canción 187”
- 1995: “Muriendo de amor”
- 1996: “Mi bendita tierra”
- 1996: “Mi pueblo” (with Paul Anka)
- 1997: “Te sigo amando”
- 1997: “El destino”
- 1997: “La incertidumbre” (with Rocío Dúrcal)
- 1998: “Así fue”
- 1999: “Adorable mentirosa” (with Banda El Recodo)
- 1999: “Te doy las gracias” (with Banda El Recodo)
- 1999: “Infidelidad” (with Banda El Recodo)
- 1999: “El sinaloense” (with Banda El Recodo)
- 1999: “Todo está bien”
- 2000: “Abrázame muy fuerte”
- 2001: “Inocente pobre amigo”
- 2003: “Inocente de ti”
- 2004: “Yo te recuerdo”
- 2010: “¿Por qué me haces llorar?”
Tours
- Volver Tour (2014)
- Bienvenidos al Noa Noa Gira (2015)
In popular culture
- In 1993, American singer Lorenzo Antonio released his album Mi Tributo a Juan Gabriel on WEA. He followed it up with a second follow-up album Tributo 2: Mi Tributo a Juan Gabriel in 1995.
above: Vídeo oficial de Juan Gabriel de su tema ‘Hasta Que Te Conoci’.
for more information: juangabriel.com.mx
source: wikipedia