Born Juan Rodriguez in Sabinal, Texas, in 1951, Rodriguez was discovered at 18 by music promoter Happy Shahan after he was heard singing in a jail cell, where he was briefly held for a minor offense, according to a Ken Burns biography on PBS.org.

Mexican-American country favorite Johnny Rodriguez, renowned for "You Always Come Back To Hurting Me," died on May 9, 2025.

Johnny Rodriguez, who built a superstar-level career as one of country music's first Hispanic stars in the 1970s, has died.