Fifteen months later, Rodriguez was acquitted of murder by a jury. Rodriguez's love life was also marked by tumult. He married Linda Patterson in 1976 — they divorced by 1979.

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 ...

Johnny Rodriguez, the first major Mexican American country star, who sang in both English and Spanish and wrote 1970s hits including “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” — about a forlorn ...

Johnny Rodriguez, one of country music’s first Hispanic stars and known for 1970s hits “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “That’s the Way Love Goes,” has died at the age of 73 ...

Johnny Rodriguez, a Texas country singer known for songs like "That's the Way Love Goes" and "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico," has died at 73. - Credit: Paul S. Howell/Getty Images Johnny Rodriguez ...

In 1998, he married Debbie McNeely. McNeely gave birth to their daughter, Aubry Rae Rodriguez, in April of that year. By August 1998, McNeely and Rodriguez had parted ways.

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 ...

Rodriguez was one of the first Mexican American country singers and had such hits as “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind,” Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico" and “That’s the Way Love Goes ...