Lupe De Leon

Lupe S. De Leon

July 10,1952 - January 29, 2019

Lupe De Leon died on January 29, 2019 one week after suffering a brain embolism while walking his beloved dog, Jett. After overcoming throat cancer in 2018, his body began rejecting the heart transplant he received 12 years ago. He had been undergoing treatment to stop the rejection.
Lupe was born and raised in San Jose, CA to Jose De Leon and Helen De Leon Ledesma, the second of five boys. From an early age, Lupe showed his entrepreneurial prowess as a 10 year old shining shoes outside bars in his Willow Glen neighborhood. As a teen, he learned to play 8 ball and 1 pocket well enough to hustle pool for income. Later, he combed garage sales for items he could sell at flea markets for a profit while going to SJ State University. Lupe graduated in 1974 with a degree in criminology, and worked for the probation dept. in Alameda county as well as for Friends on the Outside. It was while working as a probation officer that he began his life's work in the music industry when he called Etta James about her cousin, arrested for a minor offense. He told Etta he wanted to represent her as her talent agent. This lead to a 30 year professional relationship with James, whom he considered the most talented and versatile singer of all time. Etta's career took off during the time he was her manager. Lupe orchestrated her collaboration with Cedar Walton on "Mystery Lady", leading to a Grammy award. Lupe produced both the Russian River Blues and Jazz festivals, and the roster of artists at De Leon Artists included Stan Getz, Charles Brown, Stanley Turrentine, Cedar Walton and the Timeless All Stars, Carmen McRae, Laura Nyro, Jr Walker, Dan Hicks and many more. He only represented artists whose music he loved.
Lupe appreciated art in all forms, and most especially theater, and paintings. He lived large , traveled extensively, and frequently to London for Wimbledon and the theater. Lupe's enthusiasm for his many passions was contagious,. He loved beautiful boats, professional tennis, a "humorous little wine", cooking dinner for friends, vintage Jaguars, fine watches. He was fiercely loyal to his friends, and they to him. To know Lupe meant you shared rifs and stories that made you roar with laughter.
Lupe lived his life with integrity, humor and generosity, and his death leaves a deep well of grief for his family and friends. He is survived by Phylis and Jake Kramer ( his godson), and his brother, Ron and sister -in- law Cathy, his nieces and nephews: Angelique (Leonard) and Dominic, and Andrew (Heather). Also, Nicolas and Alaina Rodriguez, their mother, Angie Trah and their father, Richard, and Pablo and Nick Hamlin. He is also survived by a boatload of dear friends, many whom set sail in February to scatter his ashes into the SF BAY.
Donations in Lupe's name may be made to Donor Network West (888-588-0024) and The California Jazz Conservatory (510-845-5373).
May his memory be a blessing.