Pioneering figure in Mexican American country music, Johnny Rodriguez, passed away on May 9, 2025, at age 73, as announced by his daughter Aubry Rae Rodriguez on Instagram. He was with family at the time of his passing.
Earlier that week, Rodriguez had entered hospice care. His daughter Aubry confirmed his death in an Instagram post on May 10, offering a tribute to her father.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Johnny Rodriguez, who left us peacefully on May 9th, surrounded by family,” Aubry wrote on Instagram. “Dad was not only a legendary musician whose artistry touched millions around the world, but also a deeply loved husband, father, uncle, and brother whose warmth, humor, and compassion shaped the lives of all who knew him.”
Born as Juan Raul Davis Rodriguez in Sabinal, Texas, in 1951, he gained recognition as one of the first Hispanic artists in country music. His distinctive style combined traditional country with Mexican-inspired Tejano performances, appealing to audiences across the nation.
Rodriguez’s rise to fame began unexpectedly during a brief jail stay at age 18 for a minor offense, where a Texas Ranger heard him singing. The Ranger mentioned him to local music promoter Happy Shahan, leading to performances at Shahan’s Alamo Village. Country artists Bobby Bare and Tom T. Hall discovered his talent there. Hall assisted Rodriguez in relocating to Nashville, Tennessee, where he joined Hall’s band and later signed with Mercury Records in 1972.
His first album, “Introducing Johnny Rodriguez,” launched in 1973, topped Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The album’s lead single, “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through),” became a hit and earned a nomination for Album of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Between 1973 and 1978, Rodriguez reached peak success with six No. 1 singles and 20 Top 10 hits on the U.S. country charts. His hits included “You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me),” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “I Just Can’t Get Her Out Of My Mind,” “Just Get Up and Close the Door,” and “Love Put a Song in My Heart.”
The Academy of Country Music named him Most Promising Male Vocalist in 1973. He earned several other nominations throughout his career, including Male Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
Rodriguez distinguished himself by integrating his Mexican American heritage into his music, singing in Spanish and incorporating mariachi and Tex-Mex elements. He explained in Ken Burns’ documentary “Country Music” that these musical traditions “said almost the same thing, just in different languages.”
His career extended beyond country music; he performed for U.S. presidents, including Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush, and played at Bush’s inaugural ball. In 2007, he was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame alongside Buddy Holly, Buck Owens, and Willie Nelson.
Rodriguez was married three times. His first marriage was to Linda Diann Patterson, a flight attendant. His second marriage, to Lana Nelson, Willie Nelson’s daughter, lasted seven months in 1995. In 1998, he married Debbie McNeely, a salon owner in San Marcos, Texas, and they had a daughter, Aubry, that same year.
Despite his success, Rodriguez faced personal difficulties, including a 1998 charge for the murder of a 28-year-old acquaintance, whom he believed to be a burglar in his mother’s home. He was acquitted in 1999. Rodriguez also dealt with substance abuse but overcame addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
Though his commercial success declined in later years, Rodriguez continued to perform, particularly in Texas. His influence paved the way for other Hispanic artists in country music.
Earlier this year, Rodriguez’s legacy continued with his daughter Aubry releasing her debut single “Pass Me By” with Vinny Tovar, honoring her father’s musical impact.
In announcing his passing, Aubry described her father as an “extraordinary talent” and “irreplaceable,” and requested privacy for the family during this time.
