"My dad was Mr. Charisma," Carlos told The Guardian in 2014. "I adored him because of the way he carried himself, the way he dressed and smelt. He knew he was magnetic."
According to Rolling Stone, José began his music career as a teenager when he became violinist for a classical symphony orchestra, eventually becoming the company's leader. He later formed a touring mariachi band, Los Cardinales, and even in his later years continued to perform at a restaurant in Mill Valley, California. He suffered a stroke in 1983, the year he played on Carlos's "Vereda Tropical" on the album Havana Moon. Despite the health issues, José kept performing until two years before his death from heart failure in 1997, said Variety.
"My dad was my musical influence a gazillion per cent," Carlos told The Guardian. "Being a musician wasn't what I wanted to do, it was what I wanted to be. I wanted to be adored like he was."
José was survived by his wife of 57 years, Josefina; seven children, including Carlos; and numerous grandchildren.
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