Award winning Mexican singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian, known for his love ballads, has died at the age of 64 after battling cancer for many years.
A London spokeswoman for Universal Music confirmed his death in an email to Reuters. No further details were given.
Sebastian was signed with Universal Music Latin Entertainment.
Born Jose Manuel Figueroa in the small town of Juliantla, the multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winner dedicated himself to music after leaving the seminary at the age of 17.
Mixing Latin pop and ranchera music, he went on to release a string of singles and albums in a career spanning more than 30 years. He also starred in Mexican soap opera “Tu y Yo”.
Often performed on horseback, his sentimental songs such as “Secreto de Amor” and “Tatuajes” made him popular throughout Latin America.
Sebastian was first diagnosed with cancer in 1999. Last year, he said he was undergoing treatment again after the illness had returned, according to local media.
(Reporting By Rollo Ross; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
