LOS ANGELES – As orders are being prepared at el Parian restaurant near downtown Los Angeles, you can hear the music of José José in the background.

The music is playing from the restaurant’s jukebox, a tribute to the Mexican icon who passed away of pancreatic cancer on September 28.

“I can’t think of anyone else that was as popular and as pervasive on the radio, on television at parties,” says Betto Arcos, a music journalist and critic who has followed the ups and downs of José José’s career.

The iconic Mexican singer is known for his romantic ballads and known by his fans as “El Principe de la Canción” or the “Prince of Song.”

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José José suffered years of hardship, battling addiction in the 70s and well into the 90s. Arcos says addiction really hit him hard physically.

“It took him awhile to recover from it and then after he came back his voice was not the same,” said Arcos.

But his influence on music remained strong as he continued to release hit albums.

Beatriz Alguera is a server at el Parian and has been a fan since she was 12 years old. She tells Spectrum News 1 in Spanish that José José had so many beautiful songs, so she is not surprised to see his songs played over and over again.

Alguera says whenever a popular musician passes away people start playing their music at the restaurant’s jukebox, but Arcos expects the death of Jose Jose will have a much larger impact.

“When a person of this stature, of this popularity dies their music is suddenly discovered by a new generation,” said Arcos.

So while José José may not be here physically, his music will live on for generations to come.