Juan Gabriel

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Juan Gabriel
Birth Name	Alberto Aguilera Valadez
Also known as	Adan Luna, Juan Gabriel, Juanga, El divo de Juárez
Born	January 7, 1950 (1950-01-07) (age 58) Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico
Years active	1971—Present
Genre(s)	Mariachi, Ranchera, Latin Pop, Ballad
Biggest single	"Querida" (1984)
Label(s)	RCA Records
Official website	JuanGabriel.com.mx

Juan Gabriel, (born Alberto Aguilera Valadez) on 7 January 1950 is a Mexican^[1] singer and songwriter who is one of the most famous living representatives of the Mexican ranchera, ballad, mariachi, and pop music.^[2]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 BMG Copyright Dispute 2.2 Subheading needed 3 Personal life 3.1 Charity Work 4 Awards and achievements 5 Notable discography of Juan Gabriel[32] 5.1 Singles 5.1.1 Notable Covers 5.1.2 Composed 5.2 Albums 6 References 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Early life

Born in Paracuaro, Michoacán, he attended boarding school in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua^[3], but he left to work as a craftsman at the age of 13. Already a songwriter, he began his performing career in nightclubs and local television using the stage name Adán Luna. A lot of his musical skills were also learned from an older man that befriended Alberto at an early age. He perfected playing the guitar and eventually changed his name to Juan Gabriel to honor his friend and his father, dropping Adan Luna completely.^[4] Juan became a vegetarian some years ago and is convinced of the health benefits afforded by the diet. [1]

Juan Gabriel is best known for his hit single "Querida."

[edit] Career

In 1971, he landed a recording contract with RCA Records. He has written and recorded over 1000 songs in a variety of music genre.^[5] Changing his name to Juan Gabriel - Juan in honor of a schoolmaster for whom he held great admiration and adopting the stage surname of Gabriel in honor of his own deceased father, Gabriel Aguilera ,^[6], he gradually 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 International star Lucia Mendez, Estela Nuñez, Angélica María, Gualberto Castro, Aida Cuevas,Enriqueta Jiménez, Lucha Villa, Ana Gabriel, Marc Anthony, Rocio Durcal and Son del Son.^[7]

Gabriel made his film debut in 1975 in the movie Nobleza ranchera. .[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 Rocio Durcal, Lucha Villa, Lola Beltran and Paul Anka.^[8][9] In 1984, he scored what is considered by many of his fans to be his greatest hit, "Querida" ("My Dear") which stayed for over a year on the top of the hits chart.^[10]

[edit] BMG Copyright Dispute

During 1986 to 1994 Aguilera refused to record any material with BMG over copyrights to his songs. During the dispute he continued to perform live. In 2000, according to the agreement between Gabriel and BMG, he assumed complete copyright and management resposibilities of more than 500 songs.^[11] Juan Gabriel's entire song catalogue is published by BMG Music Publishing.^[12]

[edit] Subheading needed

Aguilera is popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world and has sold over 50 million and counting.^[13] One of his best albums, Recuerdos Vol. II, which included his hit "Querida", sold 1.5 million copies in one month and a half just in Mexico.^[14]

[edit] Personal life

He has four children and stated they are not adopted and revealed that he had them with "mi mejor amiga para toda la vida" (my best friend for all of my life).^[15]

He stated:"(¿)Por qué decirle cosas que a usted, como a muchas otras personas, no les interesa, yo pienso que soy un artista (...) que he dado mucho con mis canciones",^[16] ("Why say things that do not interest yourself nor many other people? I consider myself an artist... who has given much with my songs.") as to the question if he was gay, in the same interview he said that "if you are handsome, young-hearted, and inspired, there will always be someone to call you gay."

On 14 November 2005, Aguilera was injured when he fell from the stage at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, and was hospitalized at the Texas Medical Center^[17][18]

[edit] Charity Work

He continues to do ten to 12 performances per year as benefit concerts for his favorite children's homes and habitually poses for pictures with his fans and forwards the proceeds from the photo-ops to support Mexican orphans.^[19] In 1987 Juan Gabriel founded Semjase^[20], a house for orphaned and underserved children located in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It serves school children between the ages of 6 to 12.^[21]

[edit] Awards and achievements

• In 1986, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley declared October 5 "The Day of Juan Gabriel." ^[22]
• Billboard, inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame 1996^[23][24]
• ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award in 1995^[25]
• A six time Grammy nominee^[26]
• Sold 100 million copies of his albums ^[27]
• 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^[28]
• La Opinion Tributo Nacional (Lifetime Achievement Award), 1999^[29]
• 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.^[30]
• Singer and Composer Juan Gabriel Takes home 4 Billboard Awards, 2002^[31]

[edit] Notable discography of Juan Gabriel^[32]

[edit] Singles

• "Yo No Se Que Me Paso," 1986
• "El Palo," 1995
• "Mi Pueblo" (with Paul Anka), 1996.
• "Te Sigo Amando," 1997("I Still Love You")
• "Asi Tu," 1998
• "El Destino," 1997 ("Destiny")
• "Hasta Que Te Conocí" ("'Til I Met You")
• "Solo Sé Que Fue En Marzo" ("I Only Know It Happened In March")
• "He Venido A Pedirte Perdón" ("I Have Come To Ask for Forgiveness")
• "Siempre En Mi Mente" ("Always On My Mind")
• "No Me Vuelvo A Enamorar" ("I Won't Fall In Love Again")
• "Inocente Pobre Amigo" ("My Poor Innocent Friend")
• "Querida" ("My Dear")
• "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" ("Hold Me Tight")
• "Inocente De Ti" ("How Innocent You Are")
• "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" ("I've Forgotten Again")
• "Yo Te Recuerdo" ("I Remember you")
• "No Tengo Dinero" ("I Have No Money") 1971
• "Pero Que Necesidad",("What's the point")1994
• "Mañana, Mañana" ("Tomorrow, Tomorrow")
• "Amor Eterno ("Eternal Love")
• "Debo Hacerlo" ("I Have to Do It")
• "La Diferencia" ("The Difference")
• "El Noa Noa"
• "Mis ojos tristes" ("My Sad Eyes")
• "Amor amor es amor"
• "El Mexico Que Se Nos Fue" ("The Mexico That Got Away From Us")

[edit] Notable Covers

Many Latin American singers have covered Juan Gabriel's songs.

• Marc Anthony -Hasta Que Te Conoci
• Cristian Castro -Mañana, Mañana (simply titled "Mañana")
• Alvaro Torres & Monchy & Alexandra -He Venido A Pedirte Perdon
• Rocio Durcal -Amor Eterno
• Kumbia Kings -No Tengo Dinero
• Jaguares -Te lo Pido Por Favor
• Julieta Venegas - Siempre en mi mente
• La Maldita Vecindad y los hijos del quinto patio - Ya Lo Pasado, Pasado
• La Maldita vecindad y los hijos del quinto patio - Querida
• Pandora - Nadie Baila Como Tu
• Maná - Se Me Olvido Otra Vez
• Isabel Pantoja - Asi Fue
• Tito Nieves - De Mi Enamorate
• Daniela Romo - De Mi Enamorate

[edit] Composed

These are songs that Juan Gabriel has composed, but not recorded.

• "Canta Canta", for Gualberto Castro
• "Lo Pasado, Pasado", for José José
• "Un Alma En Pena", for Lucia Mendez
• "De Mi Enamorate", for Daniela Romo
• "Cancun", for Paulina Rubio
• "Gracias a Dios ", for Thalía
• "Asi Fue", for Isabel Pantoja
• "No Discutamos", for Lucha Villa
• Gracias, for Ashley

[edit] Albums

• El Alma Joven, 1971
• Baladas, RCA, 1978
• Siempre Estoy Pensando en Ti, RCA, 1978
• Recuerdos (Memories), Ariola, 1980
• Cosas de Enamorados, RCA, 1982
• Lo Mejor de Juan Gabriel con Mariachi, RCA, 1983
• Todo, RCA, 1983
• Recuerdos 2, RCA, 1984
• Pensamientos, RCA, 1986
• Frente a Frente, Vol. 1, RCA, 1987
• Frente a Frente, Vol. 2, RCA, 1987
• Debo Hacerlo, RCA, 1988.
• Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, RCA, 1990
• Juan Gabriel en el Palacio de Bellas Artes, RCA, 1990
• Con Tu Amor, Ariola, 1992
• Te Llegara Mi Olvido, RCA, 1992
• Mis Ojos Tristes, Ariola, 1992
• Inspiration, Fonovisa, 1992
• En el Palacio de Bellas Artes, BMG, 1992
• Gracias Por Esperar, BMG Latin, 1994
• Musipistas, Discos DCO, 1995
• El Mexico Que Se Nos Fue, Ariola, 1995
• El Alma Joven, Voi. 3, RCA, 1996
• Juan Gabriel Con El Mariachi De America De Jesus Rodriguez de Hijar, RCA, 1996
• Juan Gabriel Con Mariachi, Vol. 2, RCA, 1996
• Del Otro Lado, RCA, 1996
• Siempre En Mi Mente, RCA, 1996
• Mejor de Los 3 Grandes, RCA, 1996
• Me Gusta Bailar Contigo, BMG, 1996
• Espectacular, RCA, 1996
• Gabriel, Juan, RCA, 1996
• El Alma Joven, RCA, 1996
• A Mi Guitarra, BMG, 1996
• Juntos Otra Vaz, RCA, 1997
• Lo Mejor de Gabriel Y Manzanero, Polygram, 1997
• Juan Gabriel, BMG Latin, 1997
• Homenaje a Juan Gabriel, Simitar Latino, 1997
• Celebracion De los 25 Años de Juan Gabriel en Bellas Artes, (Twenty five year Celebration of Juan Gabriel in the Arts) RCA, 1998
• Por Mi Orgullo, RCA, 1998
• Con la Banda...El Recodo, RCA, 1998
• Querida, RCA, 2000
• Juan Gabriel, RCA, 2000
• Abrazame Muy Fuerte, 2001
• Por Los Siglos, 2001
• Inocente de Ti, 2003

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• List of best-selling music artists
• mariachi

[edit] External links

• Biography and discography at theicebergradio.com
• Juan Gabriel Juan Gabriel.com.mx/