• World

Beloved Mexican Singer Joan Sebastian, ‘El Rey del Jaripeo,’ Dies at 64

1 minute read

Beloved Mexican singer Joan Sebastian, longtime staple on his country’s Top 40 pop charts, died Monday after a lengthy battle with bone cancer.

Also known as El Rey del Jaripeo — the King of Mexican Rodeo — for his love of the sport and his habit of performing on horseback, Sebastian was first diagnosed with the disease in 1999, the Latin Times reports.

After months of speculation during which Sebastian’s son, Julián Figueroa, repeatedly denied rumors of his father’s deteriorating health, Figueroa finally confirmed on the morning show Hoy in April that his father had been hospitalized.

Sebastian’s long struggle with cancer had been a public one: after his initial diagnosis, he fought it off in 2007 and 2012 before a final recurrence in 2014. It was then that he retired from jaripeos, the raucous Mexican rodeos whose participants ride bucking bulls or sing astride horses. He had no plans to stop performing, however, and announced a valedictory tour called “La Ultima Maroma” (The Final Roping) in February 2014.

Sebastian died on his family’s ranch in Juliantla in Guerrero, Mexico.

[Latin Times]

Artists Who Have Never Won A Grammy

Photo of QUEEN
QueenJohn Rodgers—Redferns/Getty Images
'60s R&B Quintet "Jackson 5"
Jackson 5Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Spice Girls
Spice GirlsRay Burmiston—Photoshot/Getty Images
Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest - Ottawa, ON
BjörkMark Horton—WireImage/Getty Images
Diana Ross Performs In Dublin
Diana Ross performs in Dublin.ShowBizIreland/Getty Images
2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival - Night 1 - Show
Nicki MinajDenise Truscello—WireImage/Getty Images
Janis Joplin
Janis JoplinEvening Standard/Getty Images
Photo of Patti SMITH
Patti SmithDick Barnatt—Redferns/Getty Images
"How The West Was Won" Tour - Irvine, CA
Snoop DoggGabriel Olsen—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Photo of Jimi HENDRIX
Jimi HendrixDavid Redfern—Redferns/Getty Images
The Who
The WhoThe Visualeyes Archive/Redferns/Getty Images
Photo of Jim MORRISON and DOORS
The DoorsGunter Zint—Redferns/Getty Images
Led Zeppelin File Photos
Led ZeppelinChris Walter—WireImage/Getty Images
Photo of Flavor FLAV and Chuck D and PUBLIC ENEMY
Public EnemyDavid Corio—Redferns/Getty Images
Journey
JourneyMichael Putland—Getty Images
Kiss
KissMichael Putland—Getty Images
Photo of Run DMC
Run-D.M.C.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Ramones
RamonesRoberta Bayley—Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Andre Agassi's 6th Grand Slam for Children Fundraiser - Show
Brian McKnightKMazur—WireImage/Getty Images
Fun Fun Fun Fest 2014
NasMerrick Ales—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Iggy Pop 1988
Iggy PopFrans Schellekens—Redferns/Getty Images
Kid Rock In Concert
Kid RockScott Legato—Getty Images

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com