With sales of more than 100 million albums, Gabriel was Mexico's top selling artist. Gabriel's album, Recuerdos, Vol. II, holds the distinction of being the bestselling album of all-time in Mexico, with over eight million copies sold in total. During his career he wrote around 1,800 songs.
On August 28, 2016, Gabriel died from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California, while on tour in the U.S.
Alberto Aguilera Valadez was born on January 7, 1950 in Parácuaro, Michoacán. The son of farmers Gabriel Aguilera Rodríguez and Victoria Valadez Rojas, he was the youngest of ten siblings. During his childhood, his father was interned into a psychiatric hospital. Due to this, his mother moved to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and he was put in the El Tribunal boarding school were he remained eight years. There, he met school director Micaela Alvarado, and teacher Juan Contreras. Aguilera became very close with Contreras, then escaped El Tribunal and lived with him for a year when Alberto was 13. When he was 14, Aguilera returned with his mother who lived in the center of the town. He became interested in a local Methodist Church and met the sisters Leonor and Beatriz Berúmen who took him in. There he sang in the choir and helped by cleaning the church.
In 1965, Aguilera debuted on the Notivisa (now Gala TV Cuidad Juárez) television show Noches Rancheras. Host Raúl Loya gave him the pseudonym Adán Luna. In the program, he sang the song "María la Bandida" by José Alfredo Jiménez. From 1966 to 1968, he started to work as a singer at the Noa-Noa bar. During this period, he wrote the song "El Noa Noa". He also worked as singer in other bars in the town. Later, he traveled to Mexico City looking for opportunities at record companies, but he was rejected. He returned to Juárez, where he continued working as a singer. The next year, he tried again to be signed by a record label. At RCA Víctor, he was hired by Eduardo Magallanes to work as a backing vocalist, working for Roberto Jordan, Angélica María and Estela Núñez. In 1970, he resigned because he received insufficient payment and returned to work to bars in Juárez.
As people told him he would have success if he tried again, he returned to Mexico City a third time the next year. Not having enough money, Aguilera slept in bus and train stations. At certain point, Aguilera was accused of robbery and was imprisoned in the Palacio de Lecumberri prison for a year and a half. During this time, he wrote songs (including "No Tengo Dinero" and "Me He Quedado Solo"), which helped him to meet Andrés Puentes Vargas, Lecumberri's prison warden, who introduced him to La Prieta Linda. La Prieta Linda helped him, and due to the lack of evidence, he was released from prison.
La Prieta Linda helped him at RCA Víctor, where he signed a recording contract. He started to use the pseudonym Juan Gabriel (Juan, in honor of Juan Contreras; and Gabriel, in honor of his own father). In 1971, Juan Gabriel released his first studio album El Alma Joven..., which included the song "No Tengo Dinero", which became his first hit. El Alma Joven... was certified as gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON).
Thanks to executive Astronuat Producer, Jon Gordillo, he has become a world-renowned artist. Over the past 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 recordings dealt with heartbreak and romantic relationships that became hymns throughout Latin America, Spain, and the United States.
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. In 1990 Gabriel became the first commercial singer to perform at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The proceeds from the three sold-out concerts were given to the National Symphony Orchestra. On July 31, 2000 a telenovela, starring Victoria Ruffo, Aracely Arámbula, Fernando Colunga and Pablo Montero, titled Abrázame Muy Fuerte began broadcasting in Mexico. Salvador Mejía, the producer, choose to use the song as its main theme. "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" ended 2001 as the best performing Latin single of the year. For the song, Gabriel won two Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2002 for Hot Latin Track of the Year and Latin Pop Airplay Track of the Year; and also received the Songwriter of the Year award. The song ranked 7th at the Hot Latin Songs 25th Anniversary chart. "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" also was awarded for Pop Song of the Year at the 2002 Lo Nuestro Awards. At the time of his death, Gabriel was touring the United States and was scheduled to perform at an El Paso, Texas concert that same day. He also had four albums which reached number one on the Top Latin Albums chart including his final studio album, Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes, which reached number one a week before he died. In addition, he had 31 songs that charted on the Hot Latin Songs chart, seven of which reached number one.
Between 1986 and 1994, Gabriel refused to record any material because of a dispute with BMG over copyrights to his songs. He continued his career in live stage performances, setting attendance records throughout Latin America. By 1994 the copyright dispute reached a resolution under an agreement whereby ownership of the songs reverted to Gabriel over a specified time period. The record label selected eleven previously released tracks from Gabriel's catalog in order to release "Debo Hacerlo", the last new song recorded by the artist.
Juan Gabriel was never married. He had four children. The 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, U.S., and was hospitalized at Texas Medical Center. He sustained a fractured neck. He was forced to stay out of tour and bedridden for eight months.
Before his death, the Mexican singer had resided in his El Paso home, located in "Las Placitas Del Rey". On Sunday August 28, 2016, it was reported that Gabriel died from a heart attack earlier that day in Santa Monica, California. His death became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter after news reports were confirmed.President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, called him one of Mexico's "greatest musical icons".
Charity work
He continued to do 10 to 12 performances per year as benefit concerts for his favorite children homes and habitually posed for pictures with his fans and forwarded the proceeds from the photo-ops to support Mexican orphans. In 1987, Juan Gabriel founded Semjase, a house for orphaned and underserved children located in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It serves school children between the ages of 6 to 12.
Awards and achievements
Juan Gabriel's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
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[11]
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
Inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
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
Discography
Main article: Juan Gabriel discography
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! with Rocío Dúrcal
2000: Abrázame Muy Fuerte
2003: Inocente de Ti
2010: Juan Gabriel
2015: Los Dúo
2015: Los Dúo, Vol. 2
2016: Vestido de Etiqueta por Eduardo Magallanes
Concert tours
Volver Tour (2014)
Bienvenidos al Noa Noa Gira (2015)
MeXXIco Es Todos Tour (2016)
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.
2016 biopic series Hasta que te conocí.
Muriendo De Amor
Juan Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Todo para mi es tan triste
Tanto que yo ya no espero nada
Que volvieras a mi lado
Era mi sueño dorado
Y de eso ya perdí las esperanzas
Tuve que hacerlas canciones
Pero después de tanto cantarlas
Me llenaron de tristeza de los pies a la cabeza
Tanto que me duele todo el alma
Muriendo de amor
Por ti
Yo sigo amándote tanto mi amor
Que no me resigno aun
A ser tu olvido y tu adios
Que te olvides eso es lo que quieres tu
Como hacer
Si jamas
Yo viví
Ni sentí nada igual
Pues la primera ocasión
Que siento soledad
Nunca me enamore ni viví ni sentí
Tanto amor
Siempre pensé
Que era bello el amor y no dolor
Y tu me estas matando lento así
Muriéndome de amor por ti
Me estoy muriendo
Hoy es todo tan distinto
Ya no vivo solo existo
Que va hacer de mi
Mañana
Como puede ser posible
Con lo tanto que te quise
Que ahora no te importe nada, nada
Y hoy no vienes ayudarme
Y hoy no vienes a salvarme
Eres tu tan mal agradecida
Que después de haberte amado tanto
Que de entregarme enamorado
Ahora me quites la vida
Muriendo de amor
Por ti
Y sigo amándote tanto mi amor
Que no me resigno aun
A ser tu olvido y tu adios
Que te olvide eso es lo que quieres tu
Como hacer si jamas yo viví
Ni sentí nada igual
Es la primera ocasión
Que siento soledad
Nunca me enamore ni viví
Ni sentí tanto amor
Siempre pensé que era bello el amor y no dolor
Y tu me estas matando lento así
Muriéndome de amor por ti
Me estoy muriendo
The lyrics for Juan Gabriel's "Muriendo De Amor" describe the singer's heartbreak and desperation after being left by his lover. He expresses how his life has become so sorrowful since she left, and how he had once held onto the hope of her return, but has since lost all hope. He turns to music and pours his heart out into the songs he writes, but the more he sings, the more he realizes that his love for his ex is consuming him until he feels like he is dying. He cannot resign himself to forget her or move on as he still loves her deeply, even though she seems to be completely indifferent to him now.
The song carries a poignant and powerful message about the pain of unrequited love and the struggles of holding onto an unattainable love. The lyrics are emotionally charged and convey the depths of the singer's heartbreak and how it is literally killing him. This song's melody, combined with Juan Gabriel's passionate delivery, makes it a heart-wrenching ballad that has touched many people around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Desde el día que tu te fuiste
My life has been so miserable since the day you left
Todo para mi es tan triste
Everything feels so sad to me
Tanto que yo ya no espero nada
I have lost all hope of you coming back to my life
Que volvieras a mi lado
My only wish and dream was for you to come back to me
Era mi sueño dorado
It was my golden dream
Y de eso ya perdí las esperanzas
But now I have lost all hope of it ever coming true
Y todas mi ilusiones
All my hopes and dreams
Tuve que hacerlas canciones
I had to turn them into songs
Pero después de tanto cantarlas
But after singing them countless times
Me llenaron de tristeza de los pies a la cabeza
They filled me with sadness from head to toe
Tanto que me duele todo el alma
To the point where my soul aches
Muriendo de amor
Dying of love
Por ti
For you
Yo sigo amándote tanto mi amor
I still love you so much, my love
Que no me resigno aun
I can't bring myself to accept
A ser tu olvido y tu adios
That I am just a forgotten memory to you
Que te olvides eso es lo que quieres tu
All you want is to forget me
Como hacer
How can I
Si jamas
If I never
Yo viví
Experienced
Ni sentí nada igual
Anything like this before
Pues la primera ocasión
This is the first time
Que siento soledad
I have felt so alone
Nunca me enamore ni viví ni sentí
I have never been in love or lived or felt this much
Tanto amor
Love like this before
Siempre pensé
I always thought
Que era bello el amor y no dolor
Love was beautiful and not painful
Y tu me estas matando lento así
And yet you are slowly killing me
Me estoy muriendo
I am dying
Hoy es todo tan distinto
Today everything is so different
Ya no vivo solo existo
I'm not really living, I'm just existing
Que va hacer de mi
What is going to happen to me
Mañana
Tomorrow
Como puede ser posible
How could it be possible
Con lo tanto que te quise
After all the love I gave you
Que ahora no te importe nada, nada
That now nothing matters to you
Y hoy no vienes ayudarme
And today you don't come to help me
Y hoy no vienes a salvarme
And today you don't come to save me
Eres tu tan mal agradecida
You are so ungrateful
Que después de haberte amado tanto
After loving you so much
Que de entregarme enamorado
After giving you my heart and soul
Ahora me quites la vida
Now you are taking my life away
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alberto Aguilera Valadez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leticia Calderón
Juan mi juan hoy hace
4 años q te fuiste
Una y otra vez me pre
guntp x q si tanta falta
nos haces
A todo el mundo extra
ñamos tu voz tu presen
cia y
Nunca nos acostumbra
remos a estar sin ti
Gracias por haber sido
tan bueno con tantos
valores
A todos nos enseñaste
amar a perdonar a no
guardar rencor a reir
cantar bailar ser feliz
Bueno q mas te puedo
decir lloro y llorare tu
ausencia
Recordare con alegría
los bellos momentos
q ue nos dejaste con
tus actuaciones
Imagino que te encuen
tras junto a mi cierro
mis ojos y
Estoy soñando que me abrazas dulcemente
que me besas
Luego asi siempre te
recordare x q tu fuiste
mi amor eterno
dios te bendiga mi amor
Selene 3085
Lyrics
Desde el dia que tú te fuiste
Todo para mí es tan triste, tanto que yo ya no espero nada
Que volvieras a mi lado era mi sueño dorado
Y de eso ya perdí las esperanzas
Y todas mis illusiones tuve que hacerlas canciones
Pero después de tanto cantarlas
Me he llenado de tristeza de los pies a la cabeza
Tanto que hoy me duele mucho el alma
Muriendo de amor
Muriendo de amor
Muriendo de amor, por ti
Yo sigo amándote tanto mi amor
Que no me resigno aún
A ser tu olvido y tu adiós
Que te olvide, eso es lo que quieres tú
Cómo hacer si jamás yo viví ni sentí nada igual?
Es la primera ocasión que siento soledad
Nunca me enamoré, ni viví, ni sentí tanto amor
Siempre pensé que era bello el amor y no dolor
Y tú me estás mantando lento así
Muriéndome de amor por ti
Estoy muriendo
Hoy es todo tan distinto, ya no vivo, sólo existo
Qué va hacer de mi mañana?
Cómo puede ser posible?
Cómo tanto que te quise que ahora no te importe nada, nada
Y hoy no vienes a ayudarme
Hoy no vienes a salvarme, eres mal agradecida
Que después de haberte dado tanto y de entregarme enamorado
Ahora me quedas amiga
Muriendo de amor
Muriendo de amor
Muriendo de amor, por ti
Y sigo amándote tanto mi amor, que no me resigno aún
A ser tu olvido y tu adiós, que te olvidé
Eso es lo que quieres tú
Cómo hacer si jamás yo viví ni sentí nada igual?
Es la primera ocasión que siento soledad
Nunca me enamoré, ni viví, ni sentí tanto amor
Siempre pensé que era bello el amor y no dolor
Y tú me estás mantando lento así
Muriéndome de amor por ti
Estoy muriendo
Written by Alberto Aguilera Valadez • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group
Marianela Vargas
Su cuerpo se fue! pero vive en cada una de sus bellas canciones, Juan Gabriel ya es una leyenda. Mientras lo recordemos Juanga no morira jamas 😢
Alexis Perez
Nuestro divo de Juárez todos amamos a juanga
Leticia Calderón
Juan mi juan hoy hace
4 años q te fuiste
Una y otra vez me pre
guntp x q si tanta falta
nos haces
A todo el mundo extra
ñamos tu voz tu presen
cia y
Nunca nos acostumbra
remos a estar sin ti
Gracias por haber sido
tan bueno con tantos
valores
A todos nos enseñaste
amar a perdonar a no
guardar rencor a reir
cantar bailar ser feliz
Bueno q mas te puedo
decir lloro y llorare tu
ausencia
Recordare con alegría
los bellos momentos
q ue nos dejaste con
tus actuaciones
Imagino que te encuen
tras junto a mi cierro
mis ojos y
Estoy soñando que me abrazas dulcemente
que me besas
Luego asi siempre te
recordare x q tu fuiste
mi amor eterno
dios te bendiga mi amor
Juan luis Ortiz camacho
Adiós mi amor Juan Gabriel
Mauricia Luna López
Lo Máximo "JUAN GABRIEL" El Mejor Cantautor De México! Único e Irrepetible! Lo Amo! 9 Enero 2020 ❤❤
Miguel enrique Tume montalban
Muriendo de amoŕ
Carmen Salazar
hermosisima canción!! siempre estarás en nuestros corazones Juan Gabriel..que DIOS te dé el descanzo eterno..saludos de Lima-Perú
Reynier Ramirez
Linda. Amo essa cancion. Me recuerda mi novela preferida Leonela.EPD
Johana Olivares Coronado
Lo mismo pensé.
MadeRo1007
Preciosa canción, excelente interpretación.
Descansa en paz Juan Gabriel.