One of Mexico's leading composers of rancheras, born in San Pedro Tesistán, Jocotepec, Jalisco. In addition to writing a string of hit songs, many of which are now considered standards, he was also a prominent figure in the "golden age" of Mexican cinema, scoring and writing songs for popular films. For his song «Por un amor» he received the Disco de Oro, the Mexican "Golden Record", for certified sales of more than a million copies.