Johnny Rodriguez, a renowned country musician famous for his number-one hits in the 1970s, including “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind,” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” and “That’s the Way Love Goes,” has passed away at 73. He was a celebrated Mexican American artist who left a lasting impact with his music.
His passing was announced by his daughter, Aubry Rodriguez, on social media. She mentioned that he died on Friday, peacefully, with his family by his side.
She expressed that her father was not only a legendary artist whose music reached millions globally but also a beloved family man. His warmth, humor, and compassion profoundly influenced everyone who knew him, as a devoted husband, father, uncle, and brother.
Rodriguez was named the most promising male vocalist at the 1972 Academy of Country Music Awards, and his debut, “Introducing Johnny Rodriguez,” was nominated for album of the year in 1973. More than a dozen of his albums and singles landed in the Top 10.
Rodriguez later said his career suffered after he began to use drugs and alcohol excessively.
Rodriguez was born in Sabinal, Texas, a small town about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of San Antonio and about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of the U.S.-Mexico border.
A Texas jury acquitted Rodriguez of murder in 1999, about a year after he walked into his mother’s house in Sabinal and shot once at an acquaintance whom he thought was a burglar. Israel Borrego, 26, died a day after he was shot.
Rodriguez continued to play concerts in South Texas, and he was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
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