Johnny Rodriguez, the pioneering singer-songwriter widely regarded as the first Mexican American country star, has died. He was 73.His death on May 9 was confirmed in a social media post from his daughter Aubry Rodriguez.

The first popular Mexican American country artist, he was best known for the 1970s hits “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind” and “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico.”

Country music star Johnny Rodriguez, a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind,” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “That’s the Way Love Goes,