SAN ANTONIO, TX (CelebrityAccess) — Jimmy Gonzalez, guitarist, songwriter and lead singer of the Tejano band Grupo Mazz, died on Wednesday after being hospitalized in San Antonio.
Eloy Leija, promotions manager for Gonzalez’s label, Freddy Records, told the Brownsville Herald that Gonzalez died after suffering from a heart attack.
Leija told the Herald that Gonzalez was returning to his home in Brownsville following a performance and stopped to visit relatives in San Antonio. During the visit, he became ill from low blood sugar and suffered cardiac arrest. Leija says Gonzalez was transported to Methodist Hospital, the Herald reported.
“It just happened this morning. His heart stopped and they brought him back to life,” Leija told the Herald.
Gonzalez played a key role in the revival of the Tejano group Mazz, later Grupo Mazz, which was discovered by Texas music promoter Luis Silva and was originally signed under the Cara Records label. Mazz is considered to be one of the most innovative bands of the genre, adding modern elements such as synthesizers to the traditional musical style.
The group won Best Tejano Album four times at the Latin Grammy Awards from 2001-2004. The group also won Best Tejano Album at the American Grammy Awards in 2004.
