Jose Alfredo Jimenez

His songs are considered part of Mexican musical heritage, at the level, for instance, of Woody Guthrie for American music. He had no musical training—according to the singer Miguel Aceves Mejía, Jiménez didn't play an instrument and didn't even know the Spanish terms for "waltz" and "key". Nonetheless he composed more than 1000 songs. Among the most famous are "Ella", "Media Vuelta","El Rey" and many more. In addition to his own hit recordings, many of his songs have been recorded successfully by recording artists around the Spanish-speaking world, most notably by Pedro Infante, Rocio Durcal, Javier Solís, Juan Gabriel, Joaquin Sabina and Vicente Fernandez. He died of hepatitis and is regarded, arguably, as the best Mexican songwriter of all time. He was the first singer who made a record with the influential tambora sinaloense band Banda el Recodo de Crúz Lizárraga. Shortly before his death, he recorded his last song "Gracías", thanking the public for all of the affection they had shown him. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Alfredo_Jim%C3%A9nez)