José Guadalupe Esparza is a 63–year-old Mexican singer, songwriter, and frontman of the band Bronco born in Durango. He has spent more than four decades singing songs that cover issues of life with his band and through a solo career that he launched in 1996. Aside from singing, he is known for his screen roles in movies like Bronco(1991) and Harsh Times(2005).
Away from his career, Esparza is a family man who has been married to Martha Benavides and together they share four children namely, José Adan, René, Guillermo, and Julia. Moreover, he has managed to control to a bare minimum what is known about his wife for many years. Here is all we gathered about the musical sensation whose solo career led to the release of ten albums.
The 70-year-old Singer was Born in Durango, Mexico
As you would easily find, José Guadalupe Esparza was born on October 12, 1954, in Durango, Mexico. However, he did not grow up there as his family moved to Apodaca in Nuevo Leon, Monterrey when he was about six or seven years old. He attended both his elementary and high school education in the new town. Notably, it was in school that he had his first singing experience but he did not like the style he saw in school.
He has two brothers, Aurelio Esparza and Mario Esparza who he sang with during his career in later years. Aside from this, not much is known about his parent’s identity.
José Guadalupe Esparza Started his Career at a Young Age
Esparza launched his career at a young age and has risen to become one of the iconic singers in Mexico. Esparza who is also called Lupe had a dream of becoming a singer from a young age and this pushed him to form the group Bronco together with some friends in 1974. El Negro or the dark one as he was called by his friends stood out due to his distinct sound and voice.
Another quality that made him stand out was his skill as a composer. Over the years, he contributed to the group’s lyrical content and gained so much admiration from other artists. Bronco is renowned for outstanding songs like Sergio El Bailador and Dos Mujeres, Un Camino. While things seem to be moving smoothly for the group, the band’s lead singer left and this led to Bronco’s split that lasted six years, El Negro launched a solo career.
In 2003, they made a comeback but were soon faced with a name issue. Reportedly, their manager legally owned the name thus preventing them from performing in Mexico. Following this, they started singing using the name Bronco el Gigante de America. In 2019, the band entered the news for the wrong reason when a lawsuit was filed against Lupe by Ramiro Delgado, the group’s accordionist.
Ramiro accused Esparza of mismanagement of funds, mistreatment, and betrayal. Apparently, Delgado was having health issues that affected his performance with Bronco, and during his ordeal, he felt mistreated by the band’s frontman. Thus, matters escalated between the two.
On their part, the successful band refuted his claims claiming Ramiro’s accusations were false. Following his exit, Lupe reorganized the group with new members and remains the only original member as of this writing.
El Negro is Credited with 10 Solo Albums
As mentioned earlier, he is one of the most admired singers and composers in Mexico. In fact, his fame goes beyond his time with the Bronco’s.
Through his solo projects, Esparza released many musical materials. So far he has 10 albums to his name. Unsurprisingly, his songs have been covered by many singers.
He is a Bit of an Actor
Considering that Lupe is mostly known for his music, many do not know that he has appeared on screen as an actor. According to IMDB, he has featured in 8 screen roles. His first appearance was in the 1990 music video for Bronco: Amigo Bronco. Since then he has taken small roles, especially in productions that are linked to the Broncos. He has appeared in:
Music Video
- Bronco: Dejame Amarte Otra Vez- as Jose Guadalupe Esparza(1991)
- Bronco- as Lupe Esparza(1991)
- Bronco: El Sheriff de Chocolate-as Jose Guadalupe Esparza(1993)
- Bronco Feat Christian Castro: Nunca voy a olvidarte-as Jose Guadalupe
- Esparza(2017)
TV Series
- Two Women, One Road-as Bronco(1993)
- Tu y yo-as Lupe(1996-1997)
- El baile-1999
His Marriage to Martha Benavides
Though an accomplished singer and composer, Esparza has managed to keep the details about his marriage and wife away from media attention. In an interview, he revealed that a manager advised him to never mention his wife, children, or age in interviews to promote an image of being single. Howbeit a piece of advice, Esparza later stated that he regrets taking such a bit of advice which he now considers to be st*pid.
In the series Bronco which details his life, the snippets about his marriage show that he and his wife of many years met when he was just starting his musical career. In 2020, he made a rare appearance with Martha ahead of the Valentine’s Day celebration held in Imperial Casino, Apodaca.
In later years, Sergio the Dancer crooner appreciated her support for his career which he claims is one of the pillars of his success. Moreso, he is thankful for having a united family and still being together with Martha compared to many successful celebrities whose marriages ended in divorce. In fact, his song Love Me as I Love You was inspired by his wife of many years.
See Also: Majo Aguilar Is A Talented Mexican Singer- 10 Unknown Facts
The Mexican Music Sensation is a Father of Four Children
He is the father of four children, consisting of three sons, José, René, and Guillermo, and a daughter named Julia. As mentioned earlier, he kept his children away from his career for years.
Yet after Bronco reorganized, two of his children namely José and René joined the band. Aside from them, his other children stay away from media attention. On the other hand, José and René have continued the band’s legacy while showcasing their skills.
Aside from band activities that they share on social media, Esparza’s two known children also keep their private life quiet.
How Rich is the Mexican Singer?
Lupe Esparza has a net worth of $1.5 million. He made this impressive amount from his work as a member of Bronco, his solo career, and his movie roles. Also, the 5 feet 9 inches tall singer has several businesses that add to his earnings. One such is his ranch, Rancho El Relincho, a Marin-based ranch that sits on 50 hectares of land and has many horses.
