Juan José Canales, known as Johnny Canales, was an influential Mexican Tejano singer and television host. Canales was born in General Treviño on August 19, 1947, and passed away in Corpus Christi on June 12, 2024, at the age of 81.

Canales is remembered for his significant impact on Tejano music and television, especially for his show “The Johnny Canales Show”, which debuted in 1983. The show was instrumental in launching and promoting the careers of several emerging bands from Mexico and the United States, including La Sombra de Chicago, Selena, La Mafia, Los Tigres del Norte, among others. It was broadcast on Televisa in Mexico and Univision in the U.S. from 1988 to 1996, and then on Telemundo Network until 2005.

After Telemundo canceled his show, Canales sued the broadcaster for fraudulent and deceptive business practices, seeking $100 million, but the lawsuit was dismissed. In 2009, Canales was honored by LULAC as "Veteran of the Year" for his work at the GI Forum.

Despite health issues, including a stroke and heart surgery, Canales continued to work and hosted a free concert at the Selena Auditorium in 2011, featuring Grammy-winning artists. The event was recorded and edited with the intention of relaunching his television show.

Johnny Canales is remembered not only for his contributions to Tejano music, but also for his role in promoting Latin artists and creating a platform for them to be seen and heard on a large scale.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Canales