Johnny Rodriguez, who was born on December 10, 1951, in Sabinal, Texas, was a good-behaved youngster who captained his junior high football team and served as an altar boy at church. However, the loss of his father to cancer at age 16, followed by the tragic passing of his brother in a car accident the next year, left him heartbroken and led to some run-ins with the law, as well as a newfound passion for country music.
At least in his early years, Johnny Rodriguez never truly deviated from the straight and narrow. He is alleged to have been imprisoned in 1969 when he was eighteen years old for stealing a goat with pals and barbecuing it. Others claim he was merely incarcerated due to an outstanding fine. The legendary David Allan Coe favored the former tale and incorporated it into his song “Longhaired Redneck.” Regardless, while he sang in his cell to pass the time, renowned Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson heard him and informed music promoter “Happy” Shahan about his talent.
Johnny Rodriguez’s Journey
Rodriguez was then hired by “Happy” Shahan to play in the Alamo Village, the tourist destination where John Wayne’s 1960 movie The Alamo was filmed. In 1971, while passing through town, Tom T. Hall and Bobby Bare were captivated by Johnny’s extraordinary voice and recommended he relocate to Nashville. Johnny obliged, arriving in Music City at age 21 with nothing but a guitar and $14. Less than a year later, he signed a deal to record for Mercury.
Rodriguez achieved his first Top 10 hit with “Pass Me By (If You’re Only Passing Through),” followed by a string of consecutive #1 hits like “You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me),” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.” Johnny Rodriguez emerged as country music’s first significant Hispanic star, paving the way for artists like Freddy Fender and Linda Ronstadt, often infusing his songs with Spanish lyrics, thereby becoming a crossover sensation among Hispanic audiences and introducing them to country music. In 1973, he received a nomination for the CMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year.
Alongside scoring country hits with rock anthems such as “Something” by the Beatles and “Desperado” by the Eagles, Johnny also penned several of his biggest successes himself, such as “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me),” earning the admiration of fellow artists and songwriters. His ties to Bobby Bare and his Texas roots led some to consider him part of the Outlaw movement prevalent at the time.
In 1979, Rodriguez joined Epic Records and collaborated with renowned producer Billy Sherrill. Although the hits became less frequent, he still made a memorable impact, including reaching the Top 10 twice in 1983 with “Foolin’” and “How Could I Love Her So Much.” The commercial peak of Johnny Rodriguez’s career concluded in 1998 when he mistakenly shot and killed a man in his home, believing him to be a burglar. Ultimately acquitted of all charges, Rodriguez continued to perform for Presidents (Jimmy Carter and both Bushes) and regained his public reputation.
Johnny Rodriguez remained active in performances and tours, occasionally recording new music into his 70s. In December 2022, he was in the studio working on a project that featured duets with Dennis Quaid and Tanya Tucker. Yet, the lack of recognition he has received since his peak in the 70s and 80s might leave one unaware that Johnny Rodriguez was still active.
In Texas, Rodriguez is still viewed as a hero. He was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2010, he received the Pioneer Award from the Institute of Hispanic Culture in Houston, and in November 2022, he was inducted into the All Cowboy and Arena Champions Hall of Fame in Kerrville, TX. Additionally, he was honored with the 2023 Ameripolitan Master Award.
In an ideal world, Johnny Rodriguez would be a conversational figure regarding the Country Music Hall of Fame. A campaign is currently underway for his induction.
However, if that day arrives, it will be posthumous. After entering hospice care earlier this week, Johnny Rodriguez passed away on May 9th at the age of 73.
Johnny’s daughter, Aubry Rodriguez, released her debut single “Pass Me By” with Vinny Tovar earlier this year as a heartfelt tribute to her father.
Any true aficionado of 1970s country music will undoubtedly recognize the name and songs of Johnny Rodriguez. With six #1 tracks, fourteen Top 5 hits, and twenty Top 10 songs, including a remarkable streak of fifteen consecutive Top 10 hits from 1973 to 1978, Johnny Rodriguez played a vital role in defining the landscape of country music during that era and maintained a presence in the charts well into the 1980s