Chalino Sanchez

Chalino Sánchez was born on August 30, 1960, in Rancho Las Flechas, a small village in the municipality of Culiacán, Sinaloa. He was the youngest of seven children. His father was a farmer and his mother was a housewife. He grew up in a poor and violent environment, where he witnessed many crimes and injustices. He was also exposed to the music of the region, such as the corridos, which narrated the stories of drug traffickers, outlaws, and heroes. When he was 15 years old, he shot and killed a man who had raped his sister, and fled to Tijuana, where he worked as a bus driver, a waiter, and a smuggler. He also began to compose his own songs, inspired by his life experiences and the people he met. He married Marisela Vallejos in 1984, and they had two children, Cynthia and Adan. He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1985, where he worked in a car wash and sold his songs to other singers. He also recorded his first cassette with a norteño group called Los Cuatro de la Frontera, which included his first hit, "Nieves de Enero". He gained popularity among the Mexican-American community, especially for his narcocorridos, which glorified the drug lords and their exploits. He was known for his distinctive voice, his authentic style, and his fearless attitude. He performed in various venues in California, such as El Parral, El Farallón, and El Puma de Sinaloa. He also signed with several record labels, such as Discos Linda, Cintas Acuario, RR, Balboa Records, Edimusa, and Musart. He recorded more than 30 albums, and some of his most famous songs are "Alma Enamorada", "Los Chismes", "El Navegante", "Coquio Castro", and "Florita del Alma". He was also known for his collaborations with other artists, such as Los Amables del Norte, Los Incomparables de Tijuana, and Banda Culiacancito. He was nicknamed "El Rey del Corrido" (The King of the Corrido) and was regarded as one of the most influential singers of the genre. On January 24, 1992, he was attacked by Eduardo Gallegos while performing at the Plaza Los Arcos nightclub in Coachella, California. He was shot in the side, but he managed to shoot back and wound his assailant. He was taken to the hospital and survived the incident, which increased his fame and reputation. He returned to Mexico in May 1992, where he performed in several cities, such as Mexicali, Tijuana, and Culiacán. On May 15, he gave his last concert at the Salon Bugambilias in Culiacán, where he received a letter from an anonymous fan who requested him to sing a song. The next day, he was kidnapped by a group of armed men while he was driving with his cousin. His body was found on the side of a road near Los Vacitos, Sinaloa, with two bullet wounds in the back of his head. He was buried at the Panteón de Los Vasitos, where thousands of fans attended his funeral. His death was mourned by many people, and his music became more popular than ever. He is considered a legend and a pioneer of Mexican music, and his songs have been covered by many artists, such as Los Tigres del Norte, Jenni Rivera, Calibre 50, and Ariel Camacho. His son, Adan Sánchez, also followed his footsteps and became a singer, until he died in a car accident in 2004. Chalino Sánchez's life and death have been the subject of many books, documentaries, movies, and TV shows. He is remembered as one of the most iconic and influential figures of the Mexican culture.