Tejano singer Johnny Canales, who helped launch Selena’s career, dead at 77

• Tejano singer and longtime television music host Johnny Canales has died at the age of 77.
• Canales’ family confirmed his death in a statement posted on the Johnny and Nora Canales Show Facebook page.
• The Mexican-born Canales rose to fame with his catchphrase “Take it away” while hosting a television music show in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the 1980s and 1990s.

Tejano singer and longtime TV music show host Johnny Canales has passed away at the age of 77.

Canales’ family confirmed his death in a statement on The Johnny & Nora Canales Show’s Facebook page on Thursday. The post did not disclose a cause of death.

“He was more than just a beloved husband, father, television host, musician and entertainer; he was a beacon of hope and joy to countless people,” the statement said. “His infectious charisma and dedication to promoting Latin music and culture left an enormous mark on the world.”

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The Mexican-born Canales was a television music show host in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the 1980s and 1990s and was known for his catchphrase “Take it away.”

He is credited with launching the career of Tejano superstar Selena on the show, who is portrayed by actor Luis Bordonada in the Netflix series “Selena: The Series.”

At its height, the syndicated show was seen throughout the United States, Mexico and Latin America.

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Corpus Christi musician and music producer Dusty Oliveira told KXII-TV that he was inspired by Canales’ shows when he was a child.

“To see someone here do something like that and have it blow up on a national, even global, scale is really important because I want to see people like me doing this,” Oliveira said.