Editing Johnny Rodriguez (section)

==Career==
{{Sources|section|date=May 2025}}

===Career in the 1970s===
After signing with Mercury, his first single to be released was 1972's "[[Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)]]."<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> This recording was a success, going to No.&nbsp;9 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] list that year. Rodriguez became the first well-known [[Mexican Americans|American of Mexican descent]] as a country singer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classic-country-song-lyrics.com/johnnyrodriguezlyrics.html|website=Classic-country-song-lyrics.com|title=Johnny Rodriguez lyrics|access-date=2011-07-14}}</ref>

In 1972, Rodriguez was voted the 'Most Promising Vocalist' by the [[Academy of Country Music]]. The next year, he achieved his first No. 1 hit song, "You Always Come Back to Hurting Me."<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> Another song that year, "[[Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico]]," written by Rodriguez, was also a  No. 1 hit. Both songs were listed in the [[Billboard Hot 100]].

In 1973, his debut album was released, which rose to No.&nbsp;1 on the Top Country Albums chart. He was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year by the [[CMA Awards]]. In addition to his success in country music, he also had a role on the television show ''[[Adam-12]]'' and made a guest appearance on ''[[The Dating Game]]'' in 1974.

In 1975, all three singles he released reached to No. 1 on the country chart: "[[I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind]]" "[[Just Get Up and Close the Door]]," and "[[Love Put a Song in My Heart (song)|Love Put a Song in My Heart]]."<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> Rodriguez's success on the country chart continued throughout much of the 1970s. He recorded songs not only written by himself around this time, but also covers of songs such as [[George Harrison]]'s "[[Something (Beatles song)|Something]]," [[Linda Hargrove (songwriter)|Linda Hargrove]]'s "Just Get Up and Close the Door," [[Mickey Newbury]]'s "Poison Red Berries," and [[Billy Joe Shaver]]'s "Texas Up Here Tennessee." By 1975, Rodriguez was considered a member of the [[outlaw country]] market in country music, like fellow musicians [[Bobby Bare]] and [[Tom T. Hall]].

===Career in the 1980s and 1990s and murder charge===
Despite the outlaw movement fading from view in the late 1970s, Rodriguez was determined to stay on top of his game. In 1979, he switched to [[Epic Records]].<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> There he worked with the record producer [[Billy Sherrill]]. His first hit from Epic came that year with the No.&nbsp;6 country hit, "Down on the Rio Grande." His debut album from the record company was entitled ''Rodriguez'', although all the songs from the album were cover versions.

Although Rodriguez did not make the Top 10 continuously as in the past, he managed to stay in the Top 20, with hits like "Fools For Each Other" and "What'll I Tell Virginia." At the same time, Rodriguez continued to be a popular concert attraction. However, Rodriguez was also having personal problems, due to his drug addiction.<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> In 1982, he did a duet with [[Zella Lehr]] on the song "Most Beautiful Girl (La Chica Mas Linda)." The single was released by [[Columbia Records]]. In 1983, he went into the Top 5 with the hit song "Foolin'," followed by the Top 10 hit "How Could I Love Her So Much." However, by the mid-1980s, he was becoming less successful and, in 1986, he left Epic Records.

In 1987, he signed with [[Capitol Records]] for a brief period of time. He had his last major hit in 1988 with "I Didn't (Every Chance I Had),"<ref name="LarkinCountry"/> which reached No.&nbsp;12 on the country chart. By 1989, he had left Capitol.

In August 1998, Rodriguez shot and killed a 28-year-old acquaintance in his Texas home, believing the man to be a burglar.<ref>{{cite news|title=Country Singer Charged With Murder In Shooting|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1998/08/30/country-singer-charged-with-murder-in-shooting/|access-date=17 December 2016|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=30 August 1998}}</ref> In October 1999, he was acquitted of murder by a jury.<ref name="Aquit">{{cite news|title=UPI Focus: Rodriguez acquitted on murder charge|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1999/10/13/UPI-Focus-Rodriguez-acquitted-on-murder-charge/2316939787200/|access-date=17 December 2016|website=Upi.com|date=13 October 2016|quote=A jury Wednesday acquitted country singer Johnny Rodriguez of murder in the slaying of a man found in his mother's South Texas home in August 1988. Rodriguez, who had a dozen top 10 country hits in the late 1970s, contended that he shot Israel 'Bosco' Borrego in self-defense.}}</ref>

In 1993, he recorded an album for [[Intersound Records]] called ''Run For the Border.'' In the mid-1990s, the indie label High-Tone released his album, ''You Can Say That Again''. He continued to tour around the country during this time. In 1996, he turned to another label, Paula Records, which issued "One Bar At a Time", but it was unsuccessful. By this time his musical presence was fading from the public view.

===1998–2025===
From 1998 onwards, Rodriguez toured the United States and further afield including Switzerland, Poland, the UK, South Korea, Canada, and Mexico. He performed concerts at the [[Ryman Auditorium]] and [[Carnegie Hall]].

Rodriguez continued to tour and record new material, performing dates in the United States and Canada. In 2012, he released his first live album, ''Johnny Rodriguez: Live from Texas''.