The 27’s – Valentín Elizalde 1979 - 2006

Part 37 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Valentín Elizalde was a popular Mexican banda music singer known by the nickname "El Gallo de Oro" (The Golden Rooster). He began performing professionally at a young age and recorded his debut solo album, “Regresan los Mafiosos,” in 1999. Releasing a record per year for the next several years, Elizalde slowly worked to establish himself as an important figure in the norteño genre. A high point in his career was reached in 2006, when he was featured on the soundtrack for the Mexican film “Al Otro Lado” with the song "Sobre la Tumba de Mi Padre."

On November 25, 2006. Elizalde and two companions, Mario Mendoza and Raymundo Ballesteros, were gunned down in an ambush in the city of Reynosa, twenty minutes after performing at a local fair. There were theories circulating that the murder had occurred because Valentin was somehow involved in trafficking, but with the capture of Raúl Hernández Barrón, known as El Flander I, in 2008 it was revealed that Valentin had been killed because Barrón thought the song “A Mis Enemigos” was about him and Los Zetas, a mercenary force employed in the Mexican drug trade.

Valentin’s murder was viewed as a tragic loss by his fans. Many posthumous releases and dedications have been released to honor his memory.