Joan Sebastian, Grammy Award-winning Mexican recording artist, passed away at his ranch home in Juliantla in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, Billboard reported. The folk singer/songwriter and balladeer lost his battle with cancer at 64 years old.
An unnamed representative from the Spanish language record label Universal Music Latin Entertainment-Fonovisa confirmed Sebastian's death on Monday, according to the Associated Press. A cause of death has not been specified, but it's known that Sebastian had battled cancer in recent years.
After being diagnosed with bone cancer in 1999, Sebastian fought a long battle with the disease and was very public with his experience, the Washington Post reported. He told Billboard that he credits his fans and his music with giving him the strength to fight back for so long.
"I've returned to life three times and all three I've fought hard," he told Billboard. "The hardest moment was the first time, when I gave it too much importance and I sat to wait for the doctors' orders. That's when I was closest to death. When I realized that the applause made me better, that my contact with my audience was what made me cling to life, I discovered the most vital aspect of my battle. I honestly think the story would be different if I didn't have my fans' support."
He enjoyed a successful, prolific career and was best known for his Mexican love ballads, which earned him five Grammy awards and seven Latin Grammy awards.
