Juan José Canales, known as Johnny Canales, who inspired and influenced Tejano music and culture, passed away at the age of 81.
Canales was a renowned Tejano music promoter and television personality best known for his show “The Johnny Canales Show.” Through the show, Canales showcased emerging bands and musical acts from Mexico and the United States, including Selena Quintanilla. He was credited with one of the first live performances of Selena by her 13th birthday.
Canales passed away on June 13 in Corpus Christi. The cause of his death is not known yet, but in May, Canales’s wife said in a video that he had been sick. In 2022, Canales suffered a stroke and needed a quadruple bypass.
“He was more than just a beloved husband, father, TV host, musician and entertainer; he was a beacon of hope and joy for countless people. His infectious charisma and dedication to promoting Latino music and culture left a large mark on the world,” his show’s Facebook account said in a statement. “Johnny’s spirit will continue to live on through the countless lives he touched and the legacy he built.”
To be invited to perform on Canales’s show was considered a career milestone for emerging artists. “The Johnny Canales Show” was shown in Televisa in Mexico and Univision in the United States before he made the transition to the Telemundo Network. His show was watched by millions, and many of those who performed on his show went on to gain new fans.
Among those who were guests on “The Johnny Canales Show” included La Sombra de Chicago, Selena, Nancy, La Mafia, Mazz, Intocable, Grupo Pegasso De Emilio Reyna, Fama, Jaime y Los Chamacos, Jennifer Peña, Los Tigres del Norte, Los Relámpagos del Norte, and more.
Outside of showcasing emerging musical talent, Canales also featured comedians, actors, and politicians on his show.
In 2015, when former President Donald Trump had announced his presidential candidacy, Canales invited Trump on to his show. When Trump announced his candidacy, he said in a speech that Mexican immigrants were bringing crime to our country.
Canales wrote Trump in a public invitation, saying Mexican and Mexican Americans are noble. “That’s why I’m offering you an invitation to come to our show and give a simple apology, or at least recognize all Mexican and Mexican American veterans who have served and have died for this country,” Canales wrote in his public invitation.
Canales was born in 1942 in Mexico but spent most of his life in Texas where his family moved to when he was less than two months old. He served in the military for two and a half years after graduating from Robstown High School.
Canales is survived by his wife, Nora Canales, and his two daughters, Seleste and Miroslava Canales.
