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.
Principio
Juan Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me encontré con el eterno
Y me dijo que el cante y baile
Se va aire al infierno
Como yo se ver profundo
Suelo ver la realidad
Yo veo dar vueltas a este mundo
Sufre, pide y llora
No sabe de donde viene
Quien es y a donde va
Marmolego, vargaz, y villa
Le dijeron al buen dios.
Vamos hacerte un mariachi.
Del cual saldrán mas de dos
Yo no quiero verles tristes
Yo quiero verles alegres
No quiero verles sufriendo
Contentos yo quiero verles
Yo no quiero que me pidan
Porque todo les he dado
Quiero que canten y bailen
Porque así estoy a su lado
Pedir no es bueno dar si
Yo quiero que cante y baile
Todo aquel que crea en mi
La música viene del pueblo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del pueblo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
La música es tan divina
Que ala gente enferma sana
La gente cuando esta sana canta y baila
Mas cuando ama.
Todo lo que hay en la vida
Es por causa y por efecto
Miren su naturaleza
No tiene ningún defecto
Igual es en cada hombre
En cada ser en este mundo
Nunca sufran, nunca lloren
Que la vida es un segundo
Miren México,
México si es lindo
México es encantador
Y todo por sus artistas, su marichi y su folclor
Cantando y bailando siempre,
Hagan la paz no hagan la guerra
Porque cantando y bailando
Yo puse a girar la tierra
Pelear no es bueno, amar si
La música une a los pueblo
Y los pueblos se une ami.
Todo aquel que cante y baile
Al infierno no ha de ir
Para que pelean tanto
En tantas y tantas guerra
Les diré una adivinanza
A ver quien me la adivina
Aquel que me la adivine,
Es que el mariachi le fascina
Que quiere decir mariachi,
Quien me lo puede decir?
Quiere decir día de fiesta
En la lengua otomi
La música viene del pueblo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del pueblo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
The song "Principio" by Juan Gabriel is about the power of music and dance to bring joy and unity to society. The singer describes a moment when he met the eternal while walking in the countryside. The eternal told him that music and dance are gifts that should be cherished because they have the power to lift the spirits of humanity. The singer, who considers himself a perceptive observer of reality, sees the suffering and sadness of humanity, but he also sees the potential for joy and healing that comes from music and dance. He urges people to embrace music and dance instead of conflict and war, and he encourages them to express their love and gratitude for life through song and dance.
The singer also reflects on the origin and meaning of mariachi music, which he sees as a unique expression of Mexican culture. He explains that the music comes from the people and that it reflects their struggles, joys, and traditions. He also notes that the word "mariachi" comes from the Otomi language and means "day of celebration." The singer sees music and dance as a source of inspiration, unity, and hope for all people, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Overall, "Principio" is a powerful tribute to the transformative power of music and dance, and it encourages listeners to embrace these gifts as a way to bring joy and unity to their lives and to society as a whole.
Line by Line Meaning
Un día que andaba en el campo
One day, while walking in the countryside
Me encontré con el eterno
I met with the eternal
Y me dijo que el cante y baile
And he said that singing and dancing
Se va aire al infierno
Is not good for the soul
Como yo se ver profundo
As I can see deep
Suelo ver la realidad
I can see the truth
Yo veo dar vueltas a este mundo
I see the world turning
Y muy triste ala humanidad
And how sad humanity is
Sufre, pide y llora
They suffer, ask, and cry
No sabe de donde viene
They don't know where they come from
Quien es y a donde va
Who they are and where they're headed
Marmolego, vargaz, y villa
Marmolego, Vargaz, and Villa
Le dijeron al buen dios.
Told the good Lord
Vamos hacerte un mariachi.
Let's make you a mariachi band
Del cual saldrán mas de dos
From which more will come
Yo no quiero verles tristes
I don't want to see them sad
Yo quiero verles alegres
I want to see them happy
No quiero verles sufriendo
I don't want to see them suffer
Contentos yo quiero verles
I want to see them content
Yo no quiero que me pidan
I don't want them to ask me
Porque todo les he dado
Because I have given them everything
Quiero que canten y bailen
I want them to sing and dance
Porque así estoy a su lado
Because that's how I am with them
Pedir no es bueno dar si
Asking is not good, giving is
Yo quiero que cante y baile
I want them to sing and dance
Todo aquel que crea en mi
Everyone who believes in me
La música viene del pueblo
Music comes from the people
La canción viene del hombre
Song comes from man
La alegría nace del pueblo
Joy is born from the people
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
And mariachi is their name
La música es tan divina
Music is divine
Que ala gente enferma sana
It heals the sick
La gente cuando esta sana canta y baila
When people are healthy, they sing and dance
Mas cuando ama.
Even more when they love.
Todo lo que hay en la vida
Everything in life
Es por causa y por efecto
Is a result of cause and effect
Miren su naturaleza
Look at nature
No tiene ningún defecto
It has no flaws
Igual es en cada hombre
It's the same with every man
En cada ser en este mundo
In every being in this world
Nunca sufran, nunca lloren
Never suffer, never cry
Que la vida es un segundo
Because life is a second
Miren México,
Look at Mexico,
México si es lindo
Mexico is beautiful
México es encantador
Mexico is charming
Y todo por sus artistas, su marichi y su folclor
And it's all thanks to their artists, their mariachi bands, and their folk traditions
Cantando y bailando siempre,
Always singing and dancing,
Hagan la paz no hagan la guerra
Make peace, not war
Porque cantando y bailando
Because singing and dancing
Yo puse a girar la tierra
Made the Earth spin
Pelear no es bueno, amar si
Fighting is not good, love is
La música une a los pueblo
Music unites people
Y los pueblos se une ami.
And people unite with me (God)
Todo aquel que cante y baile
Everyone who sings and dances
Al infierno no ha de ir
Will not go to hell
Para que pelean tanto
Why do they fight so much
En tantas y tantas guerra
In so many wars
Les diré una adivinanza
I'll tell you a riddle
A ver quien me la adivina
Let's see who can guess it
Aquel que me la adivine,
Whoever guesses it
Es que el mariachi le fascina
Is someone who loves mariachi bands
Que quiere decir mariachi,
What does mariachi mean
Quien me lo puede decir?
Who can tell me?
Quiere decir día de fiesta
It means party day
En la lengua otomi
In the Otomi language
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERTO AGUILERA VALADEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vanekjalba5882
Un día que andaba en el campo
Me encontré con el eterno
Y me dijo que el cante y baile
Se va aire al infierno
Como yo se ver profundo
Suelo ver la realidad
Yo veo dar vueltas a este mundo
Y muy triste ala humanidad
Sufre, pide y llora
No sabe de donde viene
Quien es y a donde va
Marmolego, vargaz, y villa
Le dijeron al buen dios.
Vamos hacerte un mariachi.
Del cual saldrán mas de dos
Yo no quiero verles tristes
Yo quiero verles alegres
No quiero verles sufriendo
Contentos yo quiero verles
Yo no quiero que me pidan
Porque todo les he dado
Quiero que canten y bailen
Porque así estoy a su lado
Pedir no es bueno dar si
Yo quiero que cante y baile
Todo aquel que crea en mi
La música viene del pueblo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del pueblo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
La música es tan divina
Que ala gente enferma sana
La gente cuando esta sana canta y baila
Mas cuando ama.
Todo lo que hay en la vida
Es por causa y por efecto
Miren su naturaleza
No tiene ningún defecto
Igual es en cada hombre
En cada ser en este mundo
Nunca sufran, nunca lloren
Que la vida es un segundo
Miren México,
México si es lindo
México es encantador
Y todo por sus artistas, su marichi y su folclor
Cantando y bailando siempre,
Hagan la paz no hagan la guerra
Porque cantando y bailando
Yo puse a girar la tierra
Pelear no es bueno, amar si
La música une a los pueblo
Y los pueblos se une ami.
Todo aquel que cante y baile
Al infierno no ha de ir
Para que pelean tanto
En tantas y tantas guerra
Les diré una adivinanza
A ver quien me la adivina
Aquel que me la adivine,
Es que el mariachi le fascina
Que quiere decir mariachi,
Quien me lo puede decir?
Quiere decir día de fiesta
En la lengua otomi
La música viene del pueblo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del pueblo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
@laurahincapiemejia964
Un día que andaba en el campo
Me encontré con el eterno
Me dijo que el que no cante y baile
Se va ir al infierno
Como yo sé ver profundo
Suelo ver la realidad
Veo dar vueltas a este mundo
Y muy triste a la humanidad
Sufre, pide y llora
Porque está perdida
No sabe de donde viene
Quien es y a donde va
Marmolejos, Vargas y Villas
Le dijeron al buen Dios
Vamos a ser un mariachi
Del cual saldrán más de dos
Yo no quiero verles tristes
Yo quiero verles alegres
No quiero verles sufriendo
Contentos yo quiero verles
Yo no quiero que me pidan
Porque todo les he dado
Quiero que canten y bailen
Porque así estoy a su lado
Pedir no es bueno, dar si
Yo quiero que cante y baile
Todo aquel que cree en mí
La música viene del cielo
Y la canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del suelo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
La música es tan divina
Que a la gente enferma sana
La gente cuando esta sana
Canta y baila más cuando ama
Todo lo que hay en la vida
Es por causa y por efecto
Miren la naturaleza
No tiene ningún defecto
Igual es en cada hombre
En cada ser en este mundo
Nunca sufran, nunca lloren
Que la vida es un segundo
Miren, México si es lindo
México es encantador
Y todo es por sus artistas
Su mariachi y su folklore
Cantando y bailando siempre
Hagan la paz, no hagan la guerra
Porque cantando y bailando
Yo puse a girar la tierra
Pelear no es bueno, amar sí
La música une a los pueblos
Y los pueblos se unen a mí
No todos tienen la suerte
De nacer y de vivir
Todo aquel que cante y baile
Al infierno no ha de ir
Para que pelean tanto
En tantas y tantas guerras
Sí al fin y al cabo con todo
Un día se va quedar la tierra
Les diré una adivinanza
Y a ver quien me la adivina
Y aquel que me la adivine
Es que el mariachi le fascina
¿Qué quiere decir mariachi?
¿Quién me lo puede decir?
Quiere decir Día de Fiesta
En la lengua otomí
La música viene del cielo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del suelo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
@lauraantonio3721
Un día que andaba en el campo
Me encontré con el eterno
Me dijo que el que no cante y baile
Se va ir al infierno
Como yo sé ver profundo
Suelo ver la realidad
Veo dar vueltas a este mundo
Y muy triste a la humanidad
Sufre, pide y llora
Porque esta perdida
No sabe de donde viene
Quien es y a donde va
Marmolejos, vargas y villas
Les dijeron al buen en dios
Vamos a ser un mariachi
Del cual saldrán más de dos
Yo no quiero verles tristes
Yo quiero verles alegres
No quiero verles sufriendo
Contentos yo quiero verles
Yo no quiero que me pidan
Porque todo les he dado
Quiero que canten y bailen
Porque así estoy a su lado
Pedir no es bueno, dar si
Yo quiero que cante y baile
Todo aquel que cree en mí
La música viene del cielo
Y la canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del suelo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
La música es tan divina
Que a la gente enferma sana
La gente cuando esta sana
Canta y baila más cuando ama
Todo lo que hay en la vida
Es por causa y por efecto
Miren la naturaleza
No tiene ningún defecto
Igual es en cada hombre
En cada ser en este mundo
Nunca sufran, nunca lloren
Que la vida es un segundo
Miren México si es lindo
México es encantador
Y todo es por sus artistas
Su mariachi y su folklore
Cantando y bailando siempre
Hagan la paz, no hagan la guerra
Porque cantando y bailando
Yo puse a girar la tierra
Pelear no es bueno, amar sí
La música une a los pueblos
Y los pueblos se unen a mí
No todos tienen la suerte
De nacer y de vivir
Todo aquel que cante y baile
Al infierno no ha de ir
Para que pelean tanto
En tantas y tantas guerras
Sí al fin y al cabo con todo
Un día se va quedar la tierra
Les diré una adivinanza
Y haber quien me la ha divina
Y aquel que me la ha adivine
Es que el mariachi le fascina
¿Qué quiere decir mariachi?
¿Quién me lo puede decir?
Quiere decir día de fiesta
En la lengua otomi
La música viene del cielo
La canción viene del hombre
La alegría nace del suelo
Y mariachi tiene por nombre
@FernandoMM
Pinche canción, es una obra de arte! Quien sea mexicano y no sienta bonito y orgullo de México al escuchar esta canción no tiene corazón.
@latinabruenette
Exácto💪😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
@joseantoniogarciameneses887
Lo que pasa que está en el disco de dúo con Rocío Durcal y venían canciones en solitario
@arturoquinonez5969
No te apantalles
@romeoperezgomez2609
100% del regional mexicano es una Jolla mexicana
@willanahuejotev6105
Maestros legendarios que tuvieron inspiración divina. Lo mas precioso del mundo. Una copa de vino y música maravillosa....
@mariabelenramirezgomez6020
Sin ser Mexicano, cada vez que escucho esta canción grito VIVA MEXICO
@willanahuejotev6105
Maestros legendarios que tuvieron inspiración divina. Lo mas precioso del mundo. Una copa de vino y música maravillosa....
@labocina1862
Los mexicanos nacemos dónde queremos, usted es mexicana
@jcovandounilastgo7301
El mejor homenaje al MARIACHI. Orgullo de nuestro país.
Con orgullo, de México para el mundo, con ustedes el mejor compositor JUAN GABRIEL.