Johnny Rodriguez
Biography
A reliable country hitmaker for much of the '70s, Johnny Rodriguez was born in Sabinal, TX, in 1951, growing up 90 miles from the Mexican border. His older brother Andres, a big country music fan, bought him a guitar when he was seven, and he was playing and singing by his teens. Rodriguez was captain of his high school football team at 16, but when his father died of cancer, he spiraled out of control, racking up four arrests in two years. While Rodriguez was serving a jail term, Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson heard him sing and introduced him to music promoter Happy Shahan, who booked Rodriguez to work as a singing stagecoach driver at the Alamo Village Amusement Park during 1970-1971. There he was discovered by Tom T. Hall and Bobby Bare, who brought him to Nashville to join Hall's Storytellers. Not long after, Rodriguez signed with Mercury, releasing his debut single, "Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)," in early 1973. It climbed into the Top Ten and turned out to be the first of 14 consecutive Rodriguez singles to do so. His next two, "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico" and "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)," both hit number one.. A reliable country hitmaker for much of the '70s, Johnny Rodriguez was born in Sabinal, TX, in 1951, growing up 90 miles from the Mexican border. His older brother Andres, a big country music fan, bought him a guitar when he was seven, and he was playing and singing by his teens. Rodriguez was captain of his high school football team at 16, but when his father died of cancer, he spiraled out of control, racking up four arrests in two years. While Rodriguez was serving a jail term, Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson heard him sing and introduced him to music promoter Happy Shahan, who booked Rodriguez to work as a singing stagecoach driver at the Alamo Village Amusement Park during 1970-1971. There he was discovered by Tom T. Hall and Bobby Bare, who brought him to Nashville to join Hall's Storytellers. Not long after, Rodriguez signed with Mercury, releasing his debut single, "Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)," in early 1973. It climbed into the Top Ten and turned out to be the first of 14 consecutive Rodriguez singles to do so. His next two, "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico" and "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)," both hit number one.
Top Albums |
1. The Best of ..
| 2. Johnny Rodri..
| 3. Johnny Rodri..
| 4. Super Hits
| 5. 20 Greatest ..
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6. Classic Coun..
| 7. Greatest Hit..
| 8. You Can Say ..
| 9. Some of Mine..
| 10. Desperado - ..
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11. These Colors..
| 12. You Can Say ..
| 13. Johnny Rodri..
| 14. Greatest Hit..
| 15. En Nueva Yor..
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16. Run for the ..
| 17. Desperado - ..
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Top Songs |
| Name | Album | Time | Price | |
1. | Pass Me By | 20 Greatest Hits | 2:37 | $0.99 | |
2. | Down On the Rio Grande | Super Hits | 3:34 | $0.99 | |
3. | That's the Way Love Goes | Johnny Rodriguez: The Hits | 1:53 | $1.29 | |
4. | Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico | Johnny Rodriguez: The Hits | 2:09 | $1.29 | |
5. | Across the Alley from the Alamo | Tribute to the Music of Bob.. | 3:18 | $1.29 | |
6. | That’s the Way Love Goes | Desperado - A Decade of Hit.. | 2:16 | $0.99 | |
7. | I Just Can't Get Her Out of My M.. | Desperado - A Decade of Hit.. | 2:30 | $0.99 | |
8. | I Didn't (Every Chance I Had) | Lost Country Hits of the 80.. | 3:28 | $1.29 | |
9. | What's New in Old Mexico | Greatest Hits | 3:11 | $0.99 | |
10. | Run for the Border | Greatest Hits | 3:12 | $0.99 | |
11. | Pass Me By (Re-Recorded) | Greatest Hits | 2:26 | $0.99 | |
12. | I Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye (Re-.. | Greatest Hits | 2:28 | $0.99 | |
13. | (Just Get Up and) Close the Door [Re.. | Greatest Hits | 1:55 | $0.99 | |
14. | I Just Can't Get Her Out of My M.. | Greatest Hits | 2:28 | $0.99 | |
15. | That's the Way Love Goes (Re-Rec.. | Greatest Hits | 2:14 | $0.99 | |
16. | Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico (Re-Re.. | Greatest Hits | 2:08 | $0.99 | |
17. | You Always Come Back (Re-Recorded) | Greatest Hits | 2:28 | $0.99 | |
18. | Desperado (Re-Recorded) | Greatest Hits | 3:19 | $0.99 | |
19. | (Just Get Up and) Close the Door [Re.. | Run for the Border | 1:56 | $0.99 | |
20. | That's the Way Love Goes (Re-Rec.. | Run for the Border | 2:15 | $0.99 | |
21. | Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico (Re-Re.. | Run for the Border | 2:09 | $0.99 | |
22. | Pass Me By (Re-Recorded) | Run for the Border | 2:28 | $0.99 | |
23. | Whats' New in Old Mexico | Run for the Border | 3:09 | $0.99 | |
24. | She's Too Pretty to Cry | Run for the Border | 3:40 | $0.99 | |
25. | Run for the Border | Run for the Border | 3:13 | $0.99 | |