José José

Actor

Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico

February 17, 1948

Biography

José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz (February 17, 1948 - September 28, 2019), known by his stage name José José, was a Mexican singer, musician and occasional actor. Born and raised in Mexico City into a family of musicians, José began his musical career in his early teens playing guitar and singing in serenades. He later joined a jazz and bossa nova trio where he sang and played bass and double bass. José found success as a solo artist in the early 1970s. Demonstrating his vocal ability with a stunning performance of the song "El Triste" in a Latin music festival held in Mexico City in 1970, he climbed the Latin charts during the decade. Having achieved recognition as a balladeer, his singing garnered universal critical acclaim from musical peers and media. In the 1980s, after signing with Ariola Records, José rose to international prominence as one of the most popular and talented Latin performers. His music reached non Spanish-speaking countries like Japan, Israel and Russia. José has also forged a career as an actor, starring in movies such as Gavilán o Paloma and Perdóname Todo. Also known in the entertainment world as "El Príncipe de la Canción" (The Prince of Song), his performance and vocal style have influenced many Latin pop artists in a career that has spanned more than four decades. Due to his vocals and popularity, José José is considered by the audience and the media as an icon of Latin pop music and one of the most emblematic Mexican singers ever.