Active for more than 40 years, Mexican singer and songwriter José María Napoleón was born in 1948, and began his storied career in 1970 with his first big single, "El Grillo." From there, a series of hit singles would follow in his native land, and his songwriting skills would be recognized and utilized by other storied performers such as Pepe Aguilar and Plácido Domingo. He has also featured in telenovelas. In 2011, via the Universal label, Napoleón released La Historia de los Éxitos, a collection of his greatest work.