Johnny Rodriguez, First Latino to Break into Country Music Dies at 73

Johnny Rodriguez, the award-winning Tejano artist and legendary country music star, has died at 73. He is recognized as the first Latino to breakthrough in Country Music. A legend in Nashville seen on the Grand Ole Opry stage since the 1970s and recognized the world over. 

His daughter Aubry Rodriguez announced the singer’s death Friday in a warm loving post on social media.

Juan Raoul Davis Rodriguez was born in December 1951 in Sabinal, Texas, about an hour west of San Antonio. The first Latino to break into country music in the early 70s, Rodriguez' raw music talent was first recognized when he was 18 years old and sitting in a Texas jail for an unpaid fine.

Rodriguez, who could be heard singing from his cell, caught the attention of Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson, who introduced him to music promoter Happy Shahan. Shahan helped Rodriguez kick off his music career by booking him gigs at a tourist attraction in Bracketville, Texas, called the “Alamo Village.

There, he caught the attention of several iconic musicians, such as Tom T. Hall and Bobby Bare. At the age of 21, Rodriguez moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a musician — and successfully landed a contract with Mercury Records. 

In the 1970s and 1980s, Rodriguez was one of country music's most successful male artists, recording a string of hit songs, such as "You Always Come Back To Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the Rio Grande", and "Foolin'." He recorded six No. 1 country hits in his career.

1972, Rodriguez was voted the 'Most Promising Vocalist' by the Academy of Country Music. The next year, he achieved his first No. 1 hit song, "You Always Come Back to Hurting Me." Another song that year, "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico," written by Rodriguez, was also a No. 1 hit. Both songs were listed in the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1973, his debut album was released, which rose to No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. He was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year by the CMA Awards. In addition to his success in country music, he also had a role on the television show Adam-12and made a guest appearance on The Dating Game in 1974.

In 1975, all three singles he released reached to No. 1 on the country chart: "I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind" "Just Get Up and Close the Door," and "Love Put a Song in My Heart."Rodriguez's success on the country chart continued throughout much of the 1970s. He recorded songs not only written by himself around this time, but also covers of songs such as George Harrison's "Something," Linda Hargrove's "Just Get Up and Close the Door," Mickey Newbury's "Poison Red Berries," and Billy Joe Shaver's "Texas Up Here Tennessee." By 1975, Rodriguez was considered a member of the outlaw country market in country music, like fellow musicians Bobby Bare and Tom T. Hall.

Despite the outlaw movement fading from view in the late 1970s, Rodriguez was determined to stay on top of his game. In 1979, he switched to Epic Records. There he worked with the record producer Billy Sherrill. His first hit from Epic came that year with the No. 6 country hit, "Down on the Rio Grande." His debut album from the record company was entitled Rodriguez, although all the songs from the album were cover versions.

Although Rodriguez did not make the Top 10 continuously as in the past, he managed to stay in the Top 20, with hits like "Fools For Each Other" and "What'll I Tell Virginia." At the same time, Rodriguez continued to be a popular concert attraction. However, Rodriguez was also having personal problems, due to his drug addiction. In 1982, he did a duet with Zella Lehr on the song "Most Beautiful Girl (La Chica Mas Linda)." The single was released by Columbia Records. In 1983, he went into the Top 5 with the hit song "Foolin'," followed by the Top 10 hit "How Could I Love Her So Much." However, by the mid-1980s, he was becoming less successful and, in 1986, he left Epic Records.

In 1987, he signed with Capitol Records for a brief period of time. He had his last major hit in 1988 with "I Didn't (Every Chance I Had),"which reached No. 12 on the country chart. By 1989, he had left Capitol.

In August 1998, Rodriguez shot and killed a 28-year-old acquaintance in his Texas home, believing the man to be a burglar.  In October 1999, he was acquitted of murder by a jury.

In 1993, he recorded an album for Intersound Records called Run For the Border. In the mid-1990s, the indie label High-Tone released his album, You Can Say That Again. He continued to tour around the country during this time. In 1996, he turned to another label, Paula Records, which issued "One Bar At a Time", but it was unsuccessful. By this time his musical presence was fading from the public view.

Rodriguez was honored by three U.S. presidents: Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. He played at George H.W. Bush's inaugural ball.

On August 18, 2007, Rodriguez was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, located in Carthage, Texas.

On October 23, 2010, Rodriguez received the Institute of Hispanic Culture Pioneer Award, in recognition of his accomplishment as the first major Hispanic singer in country music.

Johnny Rodriguez is fondly remembered as a kind performer and a breakthrough artist in country music, a pioneer in the Latino community. 

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