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.
Queriendo y No
Juan Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aunque yo no quiera
Será muy difícil que sigamos juntos
Hay que separarnos
Aunque tú no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Tal vez con el tiempo
Probemos de nuevo
Y olvidemos todo
Lo que ha pasado
Aunque tú no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
No nos engañemos
Si después de todo
Ya los dos sabemos
Que ya no podremos
Continuar asi
Aunque tú no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Por muchos motivos
Que hemos discutido
Aunque tú no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Hay que hacerlo todo por aquel cariño
Para que nos deje siempre buen sabor
De un amor gigante porque nos quisimos
Aunque nos peleamos
Y aunque no herimos
Por los celos tuyos por los celos míos
Por lo que tú quieras
Por tu amor o el mío
Por todo ese tiempo que hemos compartido
Por nuestros recuerdos por lo que haya sido
Aunque tú no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Hay que separarnos como dos amigos
Por que al fin y al cabo esto no está bien
Adiós sin problemas
Final sin dilema
Así es que se debe
Romper las cadenas
De un inocente y loco amor
Y desatarlo
Déjalo libre libre libre libre libre
Adiós sin problemas
Final sin dilema
Así es que se deben se deben oh romper las cadenas
De un inocente y loco amor
Y desatarlo
Déjalo libre libre libre libre libre
The lyrics of Juan Gabriel's song Queriendo Y No is a story about a couple who have come to the decision that their relationship cannot continue, despite the fact that neither of them really wants this to be the case. The opening verse suggests that they have arrived at this point because it is 'very difficult' for them to be together. Despite the fact that they both don't want to part ways, they understand that it is necessary for them to separate. They acknowledge that they have discussed many things, but their differences are too much to sustain their relationship as it is.
The second verse speaks to the possibility of trying again in the future once there is a chance for time to heal their wounds. They accept that even though separating will be hard, it is a decision that is for the best of both of them, and they hope that it will leave a 'good taste' in both of their mouths. The final verse talks about parting ways as friends and taking the lessons that they have learned from the relationship to move forward in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Ay aunque tú no quieras
Even if you don't want to, it's going to be very difficult for us to stay together.
Aunque yo no quiera
Even if I don't want to.
Será muy difícil que sigamos juntos
It will be very difficult for us to stay together.
Hay que separarnos
We have to separate.
Tal vez con el tiempo
Maybe with time.
Que nos encontremos
We will meet again.
Probemos de nuevo
We'll try again.
Y olvidemos todo
And forget everything.
Lo que ha pasado
What happened.
No nos engañemos
Let's not fool ourselves.
Si después de todo
If, after all.
Ya los dos sabemos
We both know.
Que ya no podremos
That we can't do it anymore.
Continuar asi
Continue like this.
Por muchos motivos
For many reasons.
Que hemos discutido
That we have discussed.
Hay que hacerlo todo por aquel cariño
We have to do everything for that love.
Para que nos deje siempre buen sabor
So that it always leaves us with a good taste.
De un amor gigante porque nos quisimos
Of a giant love because we loved each other.
Aunque nos peleamos
Even though we fought.
Y aunque no herimos
And even though we didn't hurt each other.
Por los celos tuyos por los celos míos
Because of your jealousy, because of my jealousy.
Por lo que tú quieras
Whatever you want.
Por tu amor o el mío
For your love or mine.
Por todo ese tiempo que hemos compartido
For all the time we have shared.
Por nuestros recuerdos por lo que haya sido
For our memories, for what it has been.
Hay que separarnos como dos amigos
We have to separate as friends.
Por que al fin y al cabo esto no está bien
Because in the end, this isn't right.
Adiós sin problemas
Goodbye without problems.
Final sin dilema
A final without dilemma.
Así es que se debe
That's how it should be done.
Romper las cadenas
Breaking the chains.
De un inocente y loco amor
Of an innocent and crazy love.
Y desatarlo
And set it free.
Déjalo libre libre libre libre libre
Let it be free, free, free, free, free.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Alberto Aguilera Valadez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luciernaga Azul ⭐️
El primer concierto en mi vida fue un concierto de Juan Gabriel. 🖤🎶
Tendría unos 7-8 años.
Recuerdo entrar una tarde a la recámara de mi mamá y vi que se estaba cambiando, peinando, peinando mientras bailaba escuchando estas canciones.
Le dije: “quiero ir contigo”.
Yo no tenía ni idea de a donde iba, sólo la vi hermosa y feliz y supongo que dije: “va a algún lugar padre”.
Al principio dijo que no, que iba con todas mis tías y sus amigas, que iban puras grandes, ni un niño o niña, y que iba a tardar mucho y quizás no habrían baños cerca, etc. Pero me aferré, le prometí que no le pediría nada, sólo quería ir con ella y la convencí.
Llegamos, el lugar a reventar, el ambiente genial, todos felices esperando.
Se apagarían las luces, inició la música y yo: 😮
Apenas escuché su voz, lo vi bailar, hacer su show y yo de un brinco me paré a bailar yo también junto con mi mamá y mis tías y me subieron a una silla y seguí bailando y aplaudiendo y recuerdo que ese día fui muy intensamente feliz.
No porque no fuera una niña feliz antes, sino que por primera vez supe lo que era un concierto en vivo, el escenario, las luces, los músicos, los instrumentos, los coros, Él!
No cabe duda que sin quererlo o sin planearlo me tocó estrenarme con el MEJOR!
Y desde ese día lo admiré, lo amé y lo sigo amando.
Nadie como él para alegrar mi vida aún más, nadie como él para cantarle al desamor.
Pues a mis 51 años, él me ha acompañado en las buenas y en las malas.
¡Que viva Juanga! ❤️
UAG / RAMSES ALEJANDRO PRIEGO SOLORZANO
Hay aun que tu no quieras
Aunque yo no quiera
Sera muy difícil que sigamos juntos
Hay que separarnos
Aunque tu no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Tal vez con el tiempo
Que nos encontremos
Probemos de nuevo
Y olvidemos todo
Lo que ha pasado
Aunque tu no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
No nos engañemos
Si después de todo
Ya los dos sabemos
Que ya no podremos
Continuar a si
Aunque tu no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Por muchos motivos
Que hemos discutido
Aunque tu no quieras
Y aunque yo no quiera
Hay que hacerlo todo por aquel cariño
Para que nos deje sin un buen sabor
De un amor gigante por que nos quisimos
Aunque nos peleamos
Y aunque no herimos
Por los celos tuyos por los celos míos
Por lo que tu quieras
Por tu amor o el
Bodega de Reed@John
Eso se llama técnica de respiración. Sin duda México nos ha dado a los mas grandes artistas de habla hispana.
Saludos desde Chile.
Rammil Bolivar Cruces
Si, que bueno que se aprecie así está pieza musical, esta composición es una joya del género y además un reto vocal, deberían darle el sitial que le corresponde.
Una vez más Juan Gabriel hizo gala del don y el talento que Dios le dió, no me canso de escucharla, es magnífica.
Lilián Capó
El coro lo acompaña muy bien también.❤❤❤. Pena su deceso; pero mientras se escuche su música, sus canciones, su voz , mientras lo veamos a través de estas páginas, mientras se tenga un recuerdo de él, vivirá en todas esas cosas, que no son cosas sino sentimientos. Que viva México! Una hermana de un país del sur.
Luciernaga Azul ⭐️
El primer concierto en mi vida fue un concierto de Juan Gabriel. 🖤🎶
Tendría unos 7-8 años.
Recuerdo entrar una tarde a la recámara de mi mamá y vi que se estaba cambiando, peinando, peinando mientras bailaba escuchando estas canciones.
Le dije: “quiero ir contigo”.
Yo no tenía ni idea de a donde iba, sólo la vi hermosa y feliz y supongo que dije: “va a algún lugar padre”.
Al principio dijo que no, que iba con todas mis tías y sus amigas, que iban puras grandes, ni un niño o niña, y que iba a tardar mucho y quizás no habrían baños cerca, etc. Pero me aferré, le prometí que no le pediría nada, sólo quería ir con ella y la convencí.
Llegamos, el lugar a reventar, el ambiente genial, todos felices esperando.
Se apagarían las luces, inició la música y yo: 😮
Apenas escuché su voz, lo vi bailar, hacer su show y yo de un brinco me paré a bailar yo también junto con mi mamá y mis tías y me subieron a una silla y seguí bailando y aplaudiendo y recuerdo que ese día fui muy intensamente feliz.
No porque no fuera una niña feliz antes, sino que por primera vez supe lo que era un concierto en vivo, el escenario, las luces, los músicos, los instrumentos, los coros, Él!
No cabe duda que sin quererlo o sin planearlo me tocó estrenarme con el MEJOR!
Y desde ese día lo admiré, lo amé y lo sigo amando.
Nadie como él para alegrar mi vida aún más, nadie como él para cantarle al desamor.
Pues a mis 51 años, él me ha acompañado en las buenas y en las malas.
¡Que viva Juanga! ❤️
Dimmy Velastegui
Wow sabes me has sacado las lágrimas gracias por compartir tu hermosa experiencia....... Grande. JUAN GABRIEL gracias
Juan Carlos Marvez
Igual me pasó, en Caracas Venezuela en el poliedro, tenía unos 14 años acompañando a mi mamá, brutal ese concierto, full energía de principio a fin, el señor de los artistas, el eterno Juan Gabriel...
Gloria Ramirez
❤
M. Adrian Rodriguez
Gracias por escribir está anécdota, me sacaste un par de lágrimas, que envidia!!! Woooa yo también fui a sus conciertos y era lo máximo!!
Luciernaga Azul ⭐️
@M. Adrian Rodriguez ..Saludos! ❤️✌🏻
ESPAÑA AMOR MÚSICA
Yo soy rusa vivo muyyyy lejossss de America latina pero yo entiendo y siento con todo mi corazon la su maravillosa cultura! Viva el genio de Juan Gabriel Mexico y los voces esos dos grandes artistas! Con mucho carino y amor desde Rusia!