Beto Quintanilla

Norberto "Beto" Quintanilla Iracheta, born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, left school early to work with his father and later moved to Reynosa, Tamaulipas, to work on a cattle ranch. Despite limited access to musical instruments and education, Quintanilla began writing songs for local musicians and gained a reputation as a serious musician. In 1976, he started singing and recording his own material, achieving success with hit songs like "Pancho la Sota" and "La Panel Café."

By 2000, Quintanilla had established himself as a prominent figure in regional Mexican music, with his songs "Raquenel Villanueva" and "El Calabozo" becoming widely covered in northern Mexico. His albums, including "Mi Historia Musical" in 2004 and "25 Aniversario: En Concierto" in 2005, made appearances on international music charts. Tragically, Quintanilla passed away from a heart attack on March 19, 2007, just after the release of his album "Tragedias Reales de la Vida," which became his most popular record, reaching high positions on Latin music charts and even entering Billboard's Top 200.