Mexican singer José José, also known as “The Prince of Song” has died at the age of 71 after a years-long battle with cancer, according to the Los Angeles Times.
José José, whose real name was José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz, was born in Mexico and grew up in Mexico City amongst a family of musicians.
The balladeer gained recognition in the 1970 for his performance of Roberto Cantoral’s “El Triste.”
José José would go on to rocket to international fame in the 1980s, eventually selling more than 100 million records and making him one of the most successful Latin singers in history.
In addition to his six Grammy award nominations during his career, he also racked up 22 Gold and Platinum records for his album 1983 album “Secretos,” and had six Platinum and four double platinum albums.
José José’s voice spans a 55-year musical career, from which his interpretation and style — a dramatic and romantic tenor — has influenced artists around the world.
In the ’90s, José José’s voice began to deteriorate due mainly to his alcoholism, which he suffered from throughout his career.
In 2001, he suffered from a case of emphysema. By then, effects of alcoholism, the abuse of cortisone, and a hiatal hernia had not only begun to affect his ability to sing but also to talk.
José José in March of 2017 announced that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.