Beto Quintanilla was a popular regional Mexican singer and songwriter, known for his daring and controversial corridos, or musical stories. He had a unique style and presence that earned him the nickname of “El Mero León del Corrido” (The Lion of the Corrido). He recorded more than 20 albums in his lifetime, not including collections of hits. But how did he die and what was the cause of his death?
Early Life and Career
Beto Quintanilla was born as Norberto Quintanilla Iracheta on May 23, 1948, in General Terán, a small town in Nuevo León, Mexico. He came from a poor family and had to work in the fields with his father and five brothers since he was a child. He also had three male relatives and two women in his extended family. He only completed one year of secondary education before moving to Reynosa, Tamaulipas, where he found a job milking cows. He later worked in a clothing store with an aunt for several years.
Quintanilla had a passion for poetry and music since he was young, but he never had any formal musical training or access to musical instruments. He composed poems or odes to his mother, his teacher, his school, and his country. He also wrote songs for other musicians who played bajo sexto and accordion. He eventually caught the attention of Ruben Polanco, the artistic director of a record company, who encouraged him to sing his own songs. Quintanilla initially objected that he did not know how to sing and felt out of place when he sang, but Polanco convinced him that he had a unique style and presence.
Fame and Controversy
Quintanilla recorded mostly narcocorridos, which are songs that narrate real or fictional events related to drug trafficking, violence, corruption, and border issues. Some of his most famous songs include “El Corrido de Leandro Ríos”, “Raquenel Villanueva”, “El Gordo Paz”, “Los Pilares de la Carcel”, and “El Sapo”. His songs were popular among the working class and the immigrant community in both Mexico and the United States. He also collaborated with other regional Mexican artists such as Los Invasores de Nuevo León, Los Cadetes de Linares, Los Huracanes del Norte, and Los Tigres del Norte.
However, his songs also attracted controversy and criticism from some sectors of society who accused him of glorifying drug lords, criminals, and violence. Some of his songs were banned from radio stations or censored by authorities. He also received death threats from some of the people he mentioned in his songs or their enemies. In 2006, after the murder of regional Mexican singer Valentin Elizalde, who was also known for singing narcocorridos, rumors circulated that Quintanilla had also been killed. However, these rumors were false and Quintanilla continued to perform and record.
Death and Legacy
Quintanilla died in Reynosa on March 18, 2007. The cause of death was a heart attack, said to be related to a drug overdose according to Wikipedia. His wife said that the attack hit him so hard that she felt he was drowning before he suddenly stopped and gave up the ghost according to Jukebugs. He was buried in Panteón Valle De La Paz in Reynosa.
After his death, many of his albums were re-released and his songs appeared on various collections released by different record companies. Some of these collections had misleading titles or implied that the material on them was new or that Quintanilla was still alive. Quintanilla wrote and performed a substantial number of songs, well over 100, but due to all the album releases, some of his songs appeared on two, three or four albums.
Quintanilla is considered one of the pioneers and legends of the corrido genre. He influenced many other regional Mexican singers and songwriters who followed his footsteps. His songs are still played and enjoyed by millions of fans who admire his courage, honesty, and talent. He is remembered as “El Mero León del Corrido”, the lion who roared with his voice and his stories.
