Ariel Camacho was a rising star in the Mexican music scene, known for his distinctive voice and guitar skills. He was the leader of the band Los Plebes del Rancho, which performed in the regional Mexican genre known as “grupera”. He had a loyal fan base in his home state of Sinaloa and parts of the United States, where he was building a strong following. He was also on tour promoting his album El Karma, which featured his hit song of the same name. But his promising career was cut short by a fatal car accident that claimed his life and two of his friends in 2015. How did Ariel Camacho die? Here is the tragic story of the Mexican singer.
The Accident
According to Time, Ariel Camacho died in a car crash on Wednesday, February 25, 2015, on a highway outside Sinaloa, Mexico. He was 22 years old at the time of his death. He had been a guest performer at the concert of another band, Clave Azul, singing his latest hit, “El Karma”, in the town of Mocorito, about 62 miles northwest of Culiacan. He was on his way back to Culiacan with four other people in a Honda Accord car when the accident happened.
According to AP News, police said Camacho’s car was speeding when it skidded off the road and ran into a drainage ditch around 3 a.m. Wednesday. The impact was so severe that it killed Camacho and two other people in the car: Cesar Ivan Sanchez, who played tuba in Los Plebes del Rancho, and Marla Ivonne Garcia, who was Camacho’s girlfriend. Two other people survived with grave injuries: Pedro Burgos, who played guitar in the band, and Ulises Ponce, who was Camacho’s manager.
The Reaction
The news of Ariel Camacho’s death shocked and saddened his fans, friends, family, and fellow musicians. Many expressed their condolences and tributes on social media and published photos with Camacho. His record label, DEL Records, released a statement saying: “My heart is broken by the loss of Ariel Camacho. I knew he was going to transform the genre in Mexico and the United States. Millions of people would have become fans and would have gotten to know the man I did. We send our condolences to the families of all those involved in the accident.”
At a wake in the Sinaloa town of Guamuchil, several musicians gathered with their guitars to sing in his memory. His funeral was attended by thousands of people who paid their respects and mourned his loss. His body was buried in his hometown of Guamuchil.
The Legacy
Ariel Camacho left behind a legacy of music that touched many people’s lives. His songs were about his small-town roots and the narco-culture of Sinaloa, home to Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel of the same name. He performed acoustically with his group, using a smaller, higher-pitched requinto guitar that gave him a unique sound. He was part of a new generation of singers known as the “altered movement”, singing explicit ballads about the realities of drug trafficking and uncontrolled violence.
His album El Karma reached number one on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart after his death. His song “Te Metiste” also became a posthumous hit, reaching number one on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Songs chart and number 13 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. His music videos have amassed millions of views on YouTube.
His band Los Plebes del Rancho continued to perform after his death, with Jose Manuel Lopez Castro replacing him as the lead singer and guitarist. They released an album titled Recuerden Mi Estilo (Remember My Style) in 2016, which featured some songs that Camacho had recorded before his death.
Ariel Camacho will always be remembered as one of the most talented and influential singers in Mexican music history. His fans will never forget his voice, his guitar, and his karma.
