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Music world pays tribute to Mexico´s Juan Gabriel

By AFP
August 29, 2016

LOS ANGELES: The music industry paid tribute Monday to legendary Mexican showman Juan Gabriel, who died in California at the age of 66 after selling tens of millions of records.

Mexico´s top selling singer-songwriter, he was adored throughout Latin America, Spain and Hispanic communities in the United States for his heartfelt ballads and joyous mariachi tunes.

The singer-songwriter, whose real name was Alberto Aguilera Valadez, was named among the 30 Most Influential Latin Artists of All Time by Billboard magazine, which said he "defined romantic Latin pop."

Juan Gabriel, who had a heart attack in Santa Monica on Sunday, delighted packed auditoriums across the world with his flamboyant dress sense -- sequined costumes, a cape and a perfectly coiffed pompadour -- as well as his energetic stage persona.

Grammy Award-winning salsa singer Marc Anthony, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, honored his mentor with an emotionally-charged cover of the icon´s song "Abrazame Muy Fuerte" during a concert in New York Sunday night.

The 47-year-old Anthony wiped away tears as he sang in front of a large projected photo of the singer, in a performance shared widely on social media.

"Today the world of Latin music lost a giant, an icon and a legend who marked my life forever," Anthony said on Instagram alongside a picture taken from the video of "Yo Te Recuerdo," which the pair performed together.

Some of the biggest stars of the Hispanic music world, including Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, took to Twitter to voice their shock over the singer´s death.

"Today is a very sad day. We lost one of the greatest and most talented artists of all time," Iglesias tweeted in Spanish.

American singer Vikki Carr, who is of Mexican descent, told of her shock over the news, tweeting that she "still can´t believe it."

During a career spanning 45 years, Gabriel was nominated for six Grammys, as well as being inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame and winning numerous Latin music industry awards.

In Los Angeles, dozens of fans gathered at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, leaving flowers and candles.

"You will be missed JuanGa, icon and superstar. Amor eterno," the official account of the Hollywood Bowl music venue tweeted, using the title of another of Gabriel´s best known songs.