MSgt. Juan Raoul Davis "Johnny" Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951)[1] is an American country music singer. I listened to The Supremes, okay? He was born on December 10, 1951, in Sabinal, Texas, USA, in a small town about 90 miles from the Mexico Border. You may also want to read Rachel Hilbert,Clint Black, and Brent Cobb. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [1] There he worked with the record producer Billy Sherrill. By 1975, Rodriguez was considered a member of the outlaw country market in country music, like fellow musicians Bobby Bare and Tom T. Hall. In 1998, Johnny Rodriguez married Debbie McNeely, a hair-salon owner. Johnny Rodriguez (born December 10 1951 in Sabinal,TX) is American country music singer. 1. At age 15, hestarted singing for his supper for campers at Garner State Park. His first hit from Epic Records came in 1979 with the No. He is currently in ICU but no other details on his condition are available. Country singer. 1 hit song, "You Always Come Back to Hurting Me. Jurors found Rodriguez innocent in the death of Israel ``Bosco Borrego, 26, who was shot once in the abdomen in 1998 at the Rodriguez family home in Sabinal. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was one of country music's most successful male artists, recording a string of hit songs, such as "You Always Come Back to Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the Rio Grande" and "Foolin'." Home Johnny Rodriguez Net Worth | Wife (Debbie McNeely). For updates visit www.johnnyrodriguezofficialfanclub.com. He was born on December 10, 1951, in Sabinal, Texas, USA, in a small town about 90 miles from the Mexico Border. Happy Shahan, had him play on a local stage that also hosted national stars including Tom T. Hall. "[1] Rodriguez's success on the country chart continued throughout much of the 1970s. (The common story told is that he was arrested after he and some friends were caught stealing and barbecuing a goat, although Jackson would later state that Rodriguez was in jail simply for an unpaid fine.). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 1: You Always Come Back to Hurting Me. The following year his first LP, Introducing Johnny Rodriguez, rose to the top of the US Country album charts, as well. Warm Memories of Finding Christmas in a Catalog, Its Christmas 1996 And Everyone Wants to Tickle Elmo. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Mavericks Release In Time (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Priscilla Black Invites You On Vacation With Couple Spring Breaks Back, Country-Folk Artist Peter One Makes Major Label Debut With Verve, Aged 67, Hey, Little One: Glen Campbell Continues His Hot Album Streak, 50 Facts To Know About Country Legend Patsy Cline, Ill Never Get Out Of This World Alive: Hank Williams Sadly Poignant Swansong, Come As You Are: The Story Behind The Nirvana Song, Glen Campbell, Shaggy, And Lil Wayne: Currently Trending Songs, Weighty In The Eighties: When Prog Rock Went Pop. Johnny Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951) is famous for being country singer. Rodriguez, quoted in a . . He was really surprised. Shahan then hired Johnny to perform at his local tourist attraction called the Alamo Village. Since then, Johnny has toured the US and the world, performing in countries including Mexico, Canada, South Korea, England, Poland, and Switzerland. I have seen him several times, actually he is basically the only country star I pay to see. Country singer Johnny Rodriguez has had a career full of highs and lows, but with a murder trial looming, his lowest day may be yet to come. He was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and, in 2010, received the Institute of Hispanic Culture Pioneer Award, in recognition of being the first major Hispanic singer in country music. In 1998, Johnny Rodriguez shot and killed a man who he mistakenly thought was a burglar in his home. Share. He had his last major hit in 1988 with "I Didn't (Every Chance I Had),"[1] which reached No. Rodriguez was first married to Linda Diann Patterson, a Southern Airways flight attendant from Conyers, Georgia. He continued to tour around the country during this time. By 1975, Rodriguez was considered a member of the outlaw country market in country music, like fellow musicians Bobby Bare and Tom T. Hall. One of the high points of his Shaver output was 1973s take on the classic-sounding heartbreak song Good Lord Knows I Tried, which the songwriter himself would later record. Johnny was inducted into the Texas Country Music hall of Fame Johnny continues to record and tour at the age of 68. In the same year, Johnny achieved his first No. Genres: Country NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Country music singer Johnny Rodriguez - for the third time under treatment for an addiction to cocaine and alcohol -- says 'it's different this time.'. On October 23, 2010, Rodriguez received the Institute of Hispanic Culture Pioneer Award,[8] in recognition of his accomplishment as the first major Hispanic singer in country music. Johnny was first married to Linda Diann Patterson, a Southern Airways airline aviation from Conyers, Georgia. His wife was a hair salon proprietor from San Marcos, Texas. Johnny Rodriguez's Net Worth: $1-5 Million. Johnny Rodriguez age is 69 years as of in 2021 and his birthplace is Sabinal, TX. Johnny later added: "I am in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and that means the most to me." He was a nominee for the 2015 induction into America's Pop Music Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, the indie label High-Tone released his album, You Can Say That Again. Topics. Copyright 2023 ElegantQuestion.com | All rights reserved. Being Hispanic makes me much more prouder of him than ever. He is a Tejano and Texas country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish. Get your tour dates seen by one billion fans. DETAILS BELOW. Mexico was also the biggest pop crossover of his career, reaching No. 1 hit. "Bosco, God rest his soul, was a coward," District Attorney Tony Hackebeil said to jurors in his closing argument. He was 67. to track Johnny Rodriguez and get concert alerts when they play near you. In 1972, Johnny was voted the Most Promising Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music and, the next year, scored his first country No. In 1971, Shahan, who was the owner of the Alamo Village vacation spot employed Johnny to perform at his spot on one of his sets. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 1 with his next two singles, Ridin My Thumb To Mexico Rodriguez own composition and Thats The Way Love Goes, the first hit recording of the now-classic Lefty Frizzell and Sanger D. Shafer tune. Johnny Rodriguez (birth name - Juan Raoul Davis Rodriguez) is a Latin American country music singer who had several #1 singles in the 70s. Johnny continues to record and tour at the age of 68. And they have a girl, Aubry Rae Rodriguez. Johnny was inducted into the Texas Country Music hall of Fame. Media. Rodriguez and Debbie McNeely have a daughter named Aubrey. Discussion. Events. Dazzle Ships: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Darks Cold War Classic, Old Time Rock & Roll: The Story Behind Bob Segers Classic Rock Hit, How ABBA Conquered All With The Waterloo Album, Music Of My Mind: Stevie Wonders Thoughts Turn To Musical Greatness, The Best Albums of 1993: 71 Records You Need To Hear, Atypical Girls: The Female Punks Who Fought For Equality, A Hard Road: How John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Blazed Their Own Path, Listen To Chiiilds New Album Better Luck In The Next Life, Skaiwater Reinterprets Rave, Releases It As New Project Rave (NC), Dillon Francis Recruits Zomboy And Knock2 For Remixes, Listen To Masegos Eclectic New Self-Titled Album, Destroy Lonely Shares Mesmerizing New Single If Looks Could Kill. Join group. . Johnny was the second youngest in a family of 10 children living in a four-room house. Despite long since becoming a historical footnote in the annals of Nashville's music scene, Rodriguez remains a celebrity in Uvalde County. One of the first Mexican-American country singers to make it in Nashville, the Texas singers story is a hugely important one. [9] His most recent marriage was to Debbie McNeely, a hair salon owner from San Marcos, Texas, in 1998, with whom he had a daughter, Aubry Rae Rodriguez born in April 1998.[9]. Juan Raoul Davis "Johnny" Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951) is an American country music singer. But Rodriguez would frequently return to his tiny hometown of Sabinal, two hours away, for reunions with friends and "pickin' parties" -- all-night fetes that featured guitars, beer and bonfires. Johnny was taken into custody, but he was released several days later when his $250,000 bond was lowered to $50,000. Rodriguez also recorded songs by and with Nelson The Sound in Your Mind and Forgiving Her Was Easy and Merle Haggard. 1 spot on the country charts for the fourth time in 1975 with the Larry Gatlin tune I Just Cant Get Her Out Of My Mind, a melancholy two-stepper with all the Texas dancehall trappings. Country Music is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, DC, and is directed by Ken Burns. Oddly enough, it seems he faded into the woodwork, about the time Freddy Fender started makining crossover hits, into the mainstream country charts, with his own bi-lingual singing style.-just an observation-- -john ~~~~~ The keeper at the gate is blind "I think my mind will be a little more clear now. In the same year, Johnny performed the duet Out Last Night with Donna Fargo, an American country singer who was one of the most successful female country artists of the 1970s. The . His source of income is from $40 million -$50 million. Every time I drive through Sandinal Texas I think of the great things he has done for the Hispanics people and how PROUD we continues to make us feel. In 1973, his debut album was released, which rose to No. He will be missed but not forgotten. In closing arguments (before jurors said the verdict), District Attorney Anton Hackebeil said: The evidence strongly suggests that Johnny did not shoot Bosco Borrego in self-defense., Im just sorry that the whole incident took place., I dont want to go through anything like this again.. Johnny was the captain of hisjunior high schoolfootballteam. All rights reserved. "The concepts of America are on trial to see whether we still have the freedom to defend ourselves and the freedom to have guns in our house," said defense attorney Alan Brown. WELCOME TO JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ MUSIC Hey, Y'all! Johnny Rodriguez That's the Way Love Goes live on Tru Country Show Johnny Rodriguez That's the Way Love Goes lyrics I've been throwing horseshoes over my left shoulder I've spent most of my. He was sued by the IRS in 1982 for $103,000 in back taxes. He has what I think to be one of the greatest country voices. Rodriguez's account of the shooting, told through friends and his attorneys -- the singer never took the witness stand -- was that he returned home at about 4 a.m. Aug. 29, 1998, and found Borrego, 26, a onetime drinking buddy who had been told to stay clear of the family house, lurking inside. 3.2K members. He recorded songs not only written by himself around this time, but also covers of songs such as George Harrison's "Something," Linda Hargrove's "Just Get Up and Close the Door," Mickey Newbury's "Poison Red Berries," and Billy Joe Shaver's "Texas Up Here Tennessee." An American singer suspected of trying to smuggle more than two pounds of heroin in his stomach was detained as he tried to board a U.S.-bound flight at a Dominican airport, authorities said. "[1] Another song that year, "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico," was also a No. He has written nine new songs, he said, that he hopes will become his first album in three years. He is a Tejano and Texas country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish. [citation needed] Hall soon found work for Rodriguez fronting his band, as well as writing songs. He sings in Spanish. When he married his fourth wife in 1997, friends thought the singer had finally settled down. I just grew up with it.. His pedal steel-laden debut single, 1972s Pass Me By (If Youre Only Passing Through), hit No. He is currently in ICU but no other details on his. The lines between traditional Mexican music and American country music have long blurred close to the border (and beyond), each influencing the other. On August 29, 1998, he was charged with murder and arrested in the shooting death at his home in Sabinal, of an acquaintance he mistook for a burglar. He . (The common story told is that he was arrested after he and some friends were caught stealing and barbecuing a goat, although Jackson would later state that Rodriguez was in jail simply for an unpaid fine.) On August 18, 2007, Rodriguez was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, located in Carthage, Texas. One of the most memorable examples of this kind of reinterpretation was his take on the iconic Don Gibson track, I Cant Stop Loving You, with Rodriguez singing the chorus in Spanish while his background singers sing the refrain in English. Change: -$10M & 1 - From Kenny's 20 studio albums, he's produced 40 top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, received countless awards as the Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Pass Me By was the first of the singles to reach number one. Although Rodriguez did not make the Top 10 continuously as in the past, he managed to stay in the Top 20, with hits like "Fools For Each Other" and "What'll I Tell Virginia." 1 country hits in his career. Required fields are marked *. Johnny Rodriguez. This story originally was published on October 14, 1999. Yet it took decades before Nashville fully accepted a Mexican-American artist into its fold: Johnny Rodriguez, who grew up in South Texas listening to both genres as well as the full range of American pop, became one of the first in the early 1970s thanks to both his preternatural gifts as a vocalist and the advocacy of the then-massive singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall. [1] In 1982, he did a duet with Zella Lehr on the song "Most Beautiful Girl (La Chica Mas Linda)." Down On The Rio Grande, a mellow, Margaritaville-adjacent tribute to the iconic river complete with steel pan adornments, reached No. Your email address will not be published. Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Johnny Rodriguez scheduled in 2023. Johnny Rodriguez stepped on a plane in Nashville with fourteen dollars, two pairs of pants, three shirts and a guitar wrapped in cellophane. Johnny continued to record and had several what might be termed 'lower' charts successes. This article is about the singer and songwriter. He could not believe it. Charged with murder, he was acquitted by a Texas jury who deemed the incident self-defense. For people with similar name, see, Career in the 1980s and 1990s and murder charge, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through), "Texas Country Music Hall of Fame-2007 Inductees: Johnny Rodriguez", "A Texas Killing and a Life of Triumph and Trouble", "Country Singer Charged With Murder In Shooting", "UPI Focus: Rodriguez acquitted on murder charge", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Rodriguez&oldid=1125666780, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2021, Articles needing additional references from November 2022, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 05:59. 2011 Johnny Rodriguez Music.comAll Rights Reserved.Disclaimer: All images and content owned by the original authors and photographers, 2023 - Johnny Rodriguez Music | All rights reserved, Stay tuned for a pending and sizzling book announcement of my upcoming memoir. [5], In 1972, Rodriguez was voted the 'Most Promising Vocalist' by the Academy of Country Music. Their Columbia works produced three chart singles, including the number one "Highwayman" in 1985. The singer, who lives in San Antonio and still performs on weekends around the state, says he looks forward to focusing on his career. So thenwhatever happened to Johnny Rodriguez? Valley-native Jonny Ramirez is back on the air for the morning drive and he brings a decades-long legacy of Tejano radio tradition with him. In 1998, Johnny Rodriguez shot and killed a man who he mistakenly thought was a burglar in his home. He returned to a bilingual approach with Cuando Calienta El Sol, which, though originally written in Spanish, had already been a hit in English stateside. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Love, Johnny. He had never been there.". Tom picked him up with a black limousine and he happened to have just lost a guitar player so Johnny got the job. Rodriguez was the second youngest of 10 children living in a four-room house. Rodriguez grabbed a pistol and fired only after he felt threatened by the man, who was painted by the defense team as the town bully. He was born on December 10, 1951, in Sabinal, Texas, USA, in a small town about 90 miles from the Mexico Border. Topics. I Wanna Wake Up With You. In 1987, Rodriguez signed with Capitol Records. One of the most revolutionary things Johnny Rodriguez did besides simply existing as a Mexican-American man in country music was to integrate singing in Spanish into almost every album he released. He and another ex-convict, country star Merle Haggard, performed at the Chillicothe Correctional Institute in Ohio while PayCheck was imprisoned there. He mistook the man to be a burglar. 1, one of the co-writes with Hall, had a sweetly melodic chorus that made the most of Rodriguezs effortless vocals, and made ubiquitous a voice that Billboard declared may well prove to be the youth shot-in-the-arm that country music has long sorely needed in 1973. Johnny Rodriguez then married a second time in 1995 to Lana Nelson daughter of country singer/songwriter Willie Nelson. DALLAS - Country music singer Johnny Duncan, known for songs like "She Can Put Her Shoes Under My Bed Anytime" and "It Couldn't Have Been Any Better," has died. That marriage lasted seven months. Rodriguez, whose once promising career was tarnished by drugs and alcohol, said he learned a lesson from the ordeal of the murder charge. 17 I Was Born A Travelin' Man. In the wake of playing out the tunes I Cant Stop Loving You and In the event that I Left It Up to You, Johnny was offered an agreement with Mercury. Long live the LEGEND. According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Country Singer Johnny Rodriguez's net worth is $1-5 Million at the age of 67 years old. Email Country singer Johnny Rodriguez, 46, is facing a murder charge in connection with the Aug. 29 shooting death of a man in South Texas. In August 1998, Rodriguez shot and killed a 28-year-old acquaintance in his Texas home, believing the man to be a burglar. The Rodriguez mentioned in that song is country singer Johnny Rodriguez. Borrego had a long history of arrests for assault, burglary and public intoxication. Rodriguez has married and divorced or separated four times, including a marriage to Willie Nelson's daughter, Lana, in 1995. He got his break after being discovered by Bobby Bare and read more View all tracks I have been listening to Johnny Rodriguez since he first started. Estimated Net Worth in 2020. He earned the money being a professional Country Singer. What is the effect of increasing temperature on boiling point? After signing with Mercury, his first single to be released was 1972's "Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through). Rodriguez explored singing in Spanish further, submitting his take on the massive Eurovision hit Eres T to country radio in 1977. You Always Come Back To Hurting MeJohnny Rodriguez. Incarcerated at age 18 for a minor offense, Rodriguez was overheard singing in his cell by Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson. On the past 40 years, he has released 35 albums and charted 45 singles. A jury Wednesday acquitted country singer Johnny Rodriguez of murder in the slaying of a man found in his mother's South Texas home in August 1988. Relatives of Rodriguez -- including many of his eight brothers and sisters -- and those of the victim, Israel "Bosco" Borrego, wept. 1) and earned Rodriguez the Academy of Country Musics award for Most Promising Artist. It only took one more single, You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me), for Rodriguez to become the youngest man ever to top the country chart a record that stood until 2012. Faded country music star Johnny Rodriguez was acquitted Wednesday of charges of murdering an acquaintance inside his family home last year. With their encouragement and his guitar in hand and just $14 in his pocket he moved to Nashville, changing his surname back to Rodriguez but keeping Johnny. Hall hired him as lead guitarist for his band and helped him land a recording contract with Mercury Records. Between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen: two on Columbia Records and one for Liberty Records. Not sure what it is, probably not a big deal. Since 1998, Rodriguez has toured the United States and further afield including Switzerland, Poland, UK, South Korea, Canada, and Mexico. Jurors took two hours to reach a verdict, and shouts erupted in a packed courtroom after the words not guilty rolled off the judges tongue. Much of the country is hearing something about 'Watergate'. In August 1998, Rodriquez shot and killed a 28-year-old associate in his Texas home. Johnny Rodriguez's origin story made for perfect country music lore: arrested for goat rustling near his hometown of Sabinal, Texas, the singer was released early after serenading the. At that timeTom T. Hall was a 21-year-oldvocalist who went to Nashville with just aguitarin his hand and $14 in his pocket. In 1996, he turned to another label, Paula Records, which issued "One Bar At a Time", but it was unsuccessful. Add your comment below. In 1995, Johnny married Lana Nelson. Posted on Last updated: September 2, 2022. Fargo has won one Country Music Association Award, five Academy of Country Music Awards, and one Grammy Award. He has recorded six No. His ancestry and mothers name is unknown. 'Southfork was my second home since I began playing. His jailhouse singing enthralled the Texas Ranger who told a "Wild West Town" promoter about Rodriguez. 9 on Billboards country chart (climbing while Halls Old Dogs, Children And Watermelon Wine was No. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But occasionally, he embraced it. It was in 1973 that we all rode our thumb to Mexico. Juan Raoul Davis "Johnny" Rodriguez (born December 10, 1951) is an American country music singer. He was the second youngest in a family of 10 children living in a four-room house. He is from TX. Sign up to get updates about the film and future projects from Ken Burns and Florentine Films. In 1979, he switched to Epic Records. Johnnys first hit from Epic came that year with the No. In the course of his career, Rodriguez released 26 albums and 45 charting singles, including six chart toppers. His first wife was Linda Diann Patterson. In 1993, he recorded an album for Intersound Records called Run For the Border. That's what the local DJs used to call him. Good old "Johnny R". He followed Mind with two more chart-toppers the epic bedroom ballad Just Get Up (And Close The Door), and the vaguely calypso-tinged Love Put A Song In My Heart. The latter was his first single on which he sang in Spanish, despite his penchant for reinterpreting country classics in both English and Spanish on his albums. In 1999, the jurors found Johnny innocent in the death of Israel Bosco Borrego. Duncan, who had a . The singer's 18-month-old daughter, Aubry Rae, lives with her mother, Debbie, in San Marcos. Chris Rodriguez is currently a member of the supergroup Generation Radio with Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus, along with Deen Castronovo of Journey, and Jason Scheff of Chicago. And started working in the Nashville studio. On June 25, 2007, he was stopped by Blanchard, Okla. police due to speeding. Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. At the same time, Rodriguez continued to be a popular concert attraction. It Might Take A While But I'll Get Over You. 1 singles on Billboard magazine country chart. Let's take a little trip, you and I. Destination? Johnny Rodriguez was born on December 10, 1951 and is 71 years old now. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 3,758 fans get concert alerts for this artist. Enter your number to get our free mobile app. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was one of country music's most successful male artists, recording a string of hit songs, such as "You Always Come Back to Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the Rio Grande" and "Foolin'.". Johnny Rodriguez was first married to Linda Diann Patterson, a Southern Airways flight attendant from Conyers, Georgia. May he continue to be strong, inspire others n ride the high road as his journey continues to please his fans, he is certainly the best of the best, its an honor and privilege Johnny Boy, Your friend always and forever (stay safe). Impressed, Jackson told the owner of Alamo Village, Happy Shahan, about the young mans talent. His wife was a hair salon proprietor from San Marcos, Texas. Rodriguez continues to tour and record new material, performing dates in the United States and Canada. His first release from the label, Pass Me By, went to No. Bush's inaugural ball. His blood-alcohol content was 2 1/2 times the legal limit at the time of the shooting, according to his autopsy. Heres Why I Believe The Hag Is The Greatest Country Artist Ever, Remembering 1970s Country Music Hit Maker Billie Jo Spears, EEO - Equal Employment Opportunity Public File Report. Carlos Tovar, a lifelong friend of the singer,. This singer is not active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As a result, he moves very slowly when he walks, and he's usually clutching the someone else's arm. How old is Johnny Rodriguez the singer? His 1977 take on Haggards The Immigrant carried particular weight, as did his contributions to the Highwaymens version of Woody Guthries Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos).. The Start of His Success If Practice Makes Perfect. This year's festival was particularly special, thanks to a performance by Gene Watson, a legendary country music singer, and Rhonda Vincent, a. read more. It was his final No. He was Country music's first great Latin singer, and was basically the same age as George Strait. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Jurors took two hours to reach a verdict, and shouts erupted in a packed courtroom after the words "not guilty" rolled off the judge's tongue. Blanchard police stopped Johnny Rodriguez Friday . Also, he enjoys a huge fan following when touring different places internationally, like Switzerland, England, France Spain Canada, and Mexico. Rodriguez occasionally integrated outlaw-esque stylings into his own writing, as in Bossier City Backyard Blues, an eclectic song about a song that finds him name-checking Tom T. Hall in the same way his outlaw peers constantly cited each other. After working with Mercury, he was soon on the way to becoming famous. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Cherish, 31 tied the knot with her fianc of only two months, 31-year-old Matt Dunn at the very ranch last month. 9 on the Billboard country charts, making Rodriguez the first Hispanic American to become a country music sensation and, thanks to his striking good looks, historian Bill C. Malone notes, just about the first youth sex symbol that country music had.. His first No. Shahan then hired Johnny to perform at his local tourist attraction called the Alamo Village. PURCELL, Okla. McClain County prosecutors have charged a singer who topped the country music charts in the 1970s with three felony drug counts. Who was Johnny Rodriguez married to the first time? In 2012, he released his first live album, Johnny Rodriguez: Live from Texas. Johnny Rodriguezs origin story made for perfect country music lore: arrested for goat rustling near his hometown of Sabinal, Texas, the singer was released early after serenading the sheriff for a few hours. His hits rose to the top of the country charts six times in the 1970s. I think I'm going to cut back on the drinking, too. Despite the outlaw movement fading from view in the late 1970s, Rodriguez was determined to stay on top of his game. Johnny Rodriguez is happily married since 1998 to Debbie McNeely. What do you think? "What happened to Johnny was too much, too fast, too young," said his former road manager, Billy Mitchell, who came from Oklahoma City to watch the trial and support Rodriguez. In 1979, he switched to Epic Records. Join 3,758 fans getting concert alerts for this artist. What's Johnny Rodriguez doing now? Johnny Rodriguez (birth name Juan Raoul Davis Rodriguez) is a Latin American country music singer who had several #1 singles in the 70s. 52 No. Johnny Horton died on November 5, 1960.