Joan Sebastian Dies From Cancer: Relive Mexican Music Icon's Songs Here!

Joan Sebastian, one of Mexico's most prominent musicians, has died from bone cancer at age 64.

Sebastian died on Sunday, July 12, in his ranch in Juliantla, Mexico, Billboard reported. Latin Times wrote that the singer/songwriter died in the arms of his son, Juliancito, while surrounded by the people he loved the most.

Sebastian, whose real name was José Manuel Figueroa, had a long and tough battle with cancer. Last April, Juliancito revealed that his father is hospitalized to undergo treatment for the disease. At the time, Sebastian's son said that the musician is "not in greater danger," a separate report from Latin Times noted.

It was in 1999 when Sebastian was first diagnosed with bone cancer, with the disease coming back in 2007 and 2012, the news outlet reported. In early 2014, the recording artist revealed once more in his Zacatecas performances that his cancer is back for the fourth time, adding that he wouldn't be able to do his jaripeos numbers, which featured him singing in a rodeo atop a horse.

Sebastian, a perpetual optimist, previously said that his battle with cancer was difficult, but he continued to fight the disease and drew inspiration from his admirers.

"I've returned to life three times and all three I've fought hard," he said, as quoted by 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."

His life provided Sebastian plenty of inspiration to write music. Growing up from a childhood of poverty, he attended a seminary as a teenager in the hopes of becoming a priest, until he decided to venture into the music industry at 17 and signed his first record deal with Mexico's Capital Records, Billboard wrote. His extensive career resulted to five Grammy awards and seven Latin Grammys, BBC added.

Sebastian had highly publicized romances with five women, and fathered eight sons, two of which -- Juan Sebastian and Trigo de Jesús - were murdered in recent years, Billboard added.

"I don't make up songs -- I live songs," Sebastian told Billboard. "My songs are a response to feelings, to what I've lived. ... The important thing is that the songs be sincere, that they be truthful."

Relive some of Sebastian's well-known songs below.