Vicente Fernández Gómez (17 February 1940 – 12 December 2021) was a Mexican singer, songwriter, actor, and film producer. Nicknamed "Chente" (short for Vicente), "El Charro de Huentitán" (The

Charro Charro has several meanings, but it generally refers to Mexican horse riders, who maintain traditional dress, such as some form of sombrero, which in Mexican Spanish are called ''sombrero de charro'' (a charro's hat). The charros could also ...

from Huentitán), "El Ídolo de México" (The Idol of Mexico), and "El Rey de la Música Ranchera" (The King of

Ranchera Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk musi ...

Music), Fernández started his career as a busker, and went on to become a

cultural icon A cultural icon is a person or an artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen as an authentic ...

, having recorded more than 100 albums and contributing to more than 30 films. His repertoire consisted of rancheras and other Mexican classics. Fernández's work earned him four

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, nine

Latin Grammy Awards The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been r ...

, fourteen

Lo Nuestro Awards The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro ( Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began i ...

, and a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

. He sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making him one of the best-selling regional Mexican artists of all time. In 2016, Fernández retired from performing live, although he continued to record and publish music.

Early life

Vicente Fernández was born on 17 February 1940 in the village of Huentitán El Alto, Jalisco, the son of a rancher and a housewife. When he was between 6 and 7 years old, he used to go with his mother to see movies starring

Pedro Infante Pedro Infante Cruz (; 18 November 1917 – 15 April 1957) was a Mexican ranchera music singer and actor, whose career spanned the golden age of Mexican cinema. His popularity spread across Latin America. Infante was born in Mazatlán, Sinalo ...

and

Jorge Negrete Jorge Alberto Negrete Moreno (; 30 November 1911 – 5 December 1953) was a Mexican singer and actor. Life and career Negrete was born in the city of Guanajuato and had two brothers and three sisters; his father was a Mexican Army Colonel who ...

and, as he himself once recalled, he told his mother that "when I grow up I'm going to be like them". Thereafter he had a taste for music and at the age of 8 he was given a guitar, which he learned to play at the same time he began to study folk music. Fernández's family found it difficult to support themselves by selling milk from the cows on their ranch, so after Fernández finished elementary school he and his family moved to Tijuana. Once a teenager, Fernández began working various jobs, including as a bricklayer, painter, and cabinetmaker. During his working day he sang, so many construction companies asked to have him as a worker. After these jobs he was hired to work as a cashier in his uncle's restaurant. At the age of 14 he started singing in restaurants and at weddings, joining several mariachi groups such as Mariachi Amanecer de Pepe Mendoza and Mariachi de José Luis Aguilar. It was then when, in Jalisco, he participated in the radio program ''Amanecer Tapatío'', and began to be recognized locally. At the age of 21 he appeared on the television show ''La calandria musical''. It was his first paid show. On 27 December 1963 he married Maria del Refugio Abarca Villaseñor, with whom he had his first son, Vicente, who was born premature and had to be incubated at home because Fernández could not pay the hospital. That year, his 47-year-old mother died of cancer. In 1965 he moved to

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

to seek a future in the world of music. His first attempts with the record companies were unsuccessful, because it was the time of stardom for the singer

Javier Solís Gabriel Siria Levario (4 September 1931 – 19 April 1966), known professionally as Javier Solís, was a Mexican singer and actor. He specialized in the musical genres of bolero and ranchera. Early life Gabriel Siria Levario was the first of t ...

. There he arranged to sing in a program of the radio network

XEX-AM XEX-AM (730 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station based in Mexico City, Mexico. It carries a sports radio format known as "W Deportes." The station is owned by Radiópolis. XEX is a Class A clear-channel station, powered at 60,000 watts and ...

, which at that time was the most important in the country. A few days after the premature death of Solís in April 1966, Fernández received his first offers for albums. His first contract was with CBS Records of Mexico, the recording label in the Mexican department of

CBS Records International CBS Records International was the international arm of the Columbia Records unit of Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. (CBS) formed in 1961 and launched in 1962. Previously, Columbia Records had licensed other record companies to manufacture an ...

, for whom he recorded albums such as "Soy de Abajo", "Ni en Defensa Propia", and "Palabra de rey". Some of Fernández's songs such as ''Tu Camino y El Mío'' and ''Perdóname'' were very successful.

Career

1970s and 1980s: ''Volver volver'' and Fernández's success

Fernández had to wait a decade to consolidate his career. With the death in 1973 of

José Alfredo Jiménez José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval (; 19 January 1926 – 23 November 1973) was a Mexican singer-songwriter of rancheras, whose songs are considered the basis of modern Mexican music. Biography Jiménez was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, ...

, one of the great icons of rancheras, Fernández became a reference point in the music industry. His next album was ''La voz que estabas esperando'' and the following albums, titled ''El rey'', ''El hijo del pueblo'', and ''Para recordar'', sold millions of copies. In 1976, with the song ''

Volver Volver Volver, Volver is a Mexican ranchera song in Spanish, written in 1972 by Fernando Z. Maldonado and popularized by Vicente Fernández in 1973. It has been covered by the artists Ry Cooder and Nana Mouskouri. It is about lost love. "Volver, volver" ...

'', written in 1972 by Fernando Z. Maldonado, his fame was catapulted throughout the country and the American continent based on the sales of this recording. That song came to be covered by more than twenty singers, including

Chavela Vargas Isabel Vargas Lizano (17 April 1919 – 5 August 2012), better known as Chavela Vargas (), was a Mexican singer. She was especially known for her rendition of Mexican rancheras, but she is also recognized for her contribution to other genres o ...

Ry Cooder Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, an ...

, and

Nana Mouskouri Ioanna "Nana" Mouskouri ( el, Ιωάννα "Νάνα" Μούσχουρη ) (born 13 October 1934) is a Greek singer. Over the span of her career, she has released over 200 albums in at least twelve languages, including Greek, French, English, Germ ...

. In the 1980s the style of Fernández's songs changed from bolero ranchero to a ranchera focused on migration. In fact, the song ''Los Mandados'' was a reference to those Mexicans migrating to the United States and reproduced macho and patriotic stereotypes. These were the years in which he built his ranch "Los 3 Potrillos", which would end up being his music production center. In 1983 he released his album ''15 Grandes con el Numero Uno'', which was the first to exceed one million copies sold. In 1984 he gave a concert at the

Plaza de Toros México The Plaza de toros México, situated in Mexico City, is the world's largest bullring. This 41,262-seat facility is usually dedicated to bullfighting, but many boxing matches have been held there as well, including Julio César Chávez's third ...

, which was attended by 54,000 people. In 1987 he launched his first tour outside the United States and Mexico when he traveled to

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

and

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

1990s: Fernández at his musical peak

The U.S. press in 1991 was already talking about Fernández as the "Mexican

Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

" and he released ranchera classics such as ''Las clásicas de José Alfredo Jiménez'' (1990), ''Lástima que seas ajena'' (1993), ''Aunque me duela el alma'' (1995), ''Mujeres divinas'', ''Acá entre nos'', ''Me voy a quitar de en medio'' (1998), and ''La mentira'' (1998), which all became classics. In 1998 his elder son Vicente Jr. was kidnapped by the "Mocha Dedos", who demanded 5 million dollars as ransom. After Fernández Sr. paid $3.2 million dollars to free him Vicente Jr. was abandoned outside the family ranch 121 days later with two of his fingers having been amputated. Fernández did all this without going to the police; both he and his other son Alejandro continued to perform concerts to maintain the appearance of normalcy to the public. In 2008 the kidnappers were sentenced to 50 years in prison.

2000s and early 2010s

In 2001 he launched the ''Lazos Invincibles'' tour, together with his son Alejandro. In 2006 Vicente Fernandez released the album ''La tragedia del vaquero'', which was certified platinum in the United States. He won a Latin Grammy again in 2008 with the album '' Para Siempre'' which was released in 2007. In 2008 he released '' Primera Fila'', which was certified double platinum in Mexico, platinum in Central America, platinum in Colombia, and double platinum plus gold in the United States. The album remained seven consecutive weeks at number one on ''Billboard'', and led him to win another Latin Grammy for Best Ranchero Album. The concert he performed at the

Zócalo The Zócalo () is the common name of the main square in central Mexico City. Prior to the colonial period, it was the main ceremonial center in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms Sq ...

in Mexico City on 14 February 2009 broke attendance records, with almost 220,000 people gathered to hear him. That same year he released the album '' Necesito de ti'', which won a Grammy and a Latin Grammy the following year. In September 2010 the album ''

El Hombre Que Más Te Amó ''El Hombre Que Más Te Amó'' (''The man that most loves you'') is the 81st studio album released by Mexican singer Vicente Fernández on 5 October 2010 by Sony BMG. Track listing Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Sales and cert ...

'' was released, produced by Vicente himself, for which he won a Latin Grammy again. He released ''Otra vez'', also produced by him, in November 2011. After the

2010 Haiti earthquake A disaster, catastrophic Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest (department), Ouest department, a ...

, Fernández was one of the 50 Latin singers who participated in the charity song "

Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti" is a 2010 song and charity single recorded by the Latin supergroup Artists for Haiti and written by Emilio Estefan and his wife Gloria Estefan. It is a Spanish-language remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World" ...

", a cover version of "

We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album '' We Are the World''. Wi ...

". Fernández started off the opening ceremony of the

2011 Pan American Games The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games, was an international multi-sport event that was held from October 14–30, 2011, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby cities of Ciudad Guzmán, ...

, hosted by

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...

, and sang "

México Lindo y Querido "México lindo y querido" is a traditional mariachi and ranchera Mexican song written by Chucho Monge and made famous by singer Jorge Negrete ("the singing charro"). It is widely known throughout the Spanish-speaking world for its characterization ...

" and "

"; later in the ceremony he sang the

Mexican national anthem The "Mexican National Anthem" ( es, Himno Nacional Mexicano, nah, Mexihcaletepetlacuicalt), also known by its incipit "Mexicans, at the cry of war" ( es, Mexicanos, al grito de guerra), is the national anthem of Mexico. The anthem was first u ...

before the parade of the athletes' delegations. In October 2011, taking advantage of his U.S. tour, he signed a three-year agreement with

Budweiser Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, part of AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States. ''Budweiser'' may also refer to an unrela ...

for the second time to promote scholarships for Hispanic American students through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Later years and retirement

On 8 February 2012, he announced in a press conference, surprisingly, his intention to retire from the stage, but he specified that he would continue recording albums and that it was not due to health reasons but because it was time to enjoy his work. Two months later, in the middle of a farewell tour throughout the country and Latin America, he released the album ''Los 2 Vicentes'', together with his son Vicente Jr.; the album included the theme song of the telenovela ''

Amor bravío ''Amor Bravío'' (International Title: ''Valiant Love'',) is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carlos Moreno Laguillo for Televisa that aired from March 5, 2012 to October 21, 2012. It is based on ''De pura sangre'' and ''En los cuernos del amor' ...

''.

That same year he recorded, together with

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...

, ''Return to me'' at his ranch in Guadalajara for Bennett's album '' Viva Duets'', in which Bennett sang in Spanish. In a later interview, Bennett said that Fernández had been "his favorite". In 2012 he also released the album ''Hoy'' and won again a Latin Grammy Award in the 2013 edition. This was followed by the albums ''Mano a mano, tangos a la manera de Vicente Fernández'', in 2014 (for which he won his second Grammy for Best Regional Mexican Album and was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Ranchera Album), and "Muriendo de amor", in 2015. On 28 November 2013 Fernández presented his book entitled ''Pero sigo siendo el rey'' in which he collects anecdotes and more than two hundred unpublished photographs about his professional career. The farewell concert, titled "Un azteca en el Azteca" (''An Aztec in the Aztec''), took place on 16 April 2016 at the

Estadio Azteca Estadio Azteca () is a multi-purpose stadium located in Mexico City. It is the official home of football clubs Club América and Cruz Azul as well as the Mexico national football team. The stadium sits at an altitude of above sea level. Wit ...

, in front of more than 80,000 people; admission was free. He sang more than 40 songs over more than four hours, the longest concert of his professional career. He only had one special guest, his son Alejandro. The concert was collected on an album, with the same name, for which Fernández won the Grammy Award for Best Regional Mexican Music Album in 2017. Despite retiring from the stage, he continued recording albums and songs, such as the album ''Más romántico que nunca'' in 2018 and ''A mis 80s'' in 2020, which earned him his ninth Latin Grammy Award for best ranchera album in 2021. In his 50-year career he sold more than 65 million records and recorded more than 80 albums and more than 300 songs.

Vicente Fernández's career as an actor

Fernandez's debut in the movies was in 1971 with the film ''Tacos al carbón''. He starred in his first film in ''La ley del monte'' in 1976. During the 20 years he dedicated to acting, he starred in 30 films, 18 of which were under the direction of Rafael Villaseñor Kuri, and shared the stage with nationally renowned actors such as

Blanca Guerra Blanca Guerra Islas (born January 10, 1953) is a Mexican actress. In 1983 she was a member of the jury at the 13th Moscow International Film Festival. Films * La loca de los Milagros (1975) * Pedro Páramo (1978) - Dolores Preciado * El se ...

Sara García Sara García Hidalgo (8 September 1895 – 21 November 1980) was a Mexican actress who made her biggest mark during the "Golden Age of Mexican cinema". During the 1940s and 1950s, she often played the part of a no-nonsense but lovable grandm ...

, Fernando Soto,

Resortes Adalberto Martínez Chávez (25 January 1916 – April 4, 2003), better known in the entertainment world as Resortes, was a renowned Mexican actor. Known primarily for his talent as a comedian, Resortes was also a dancer. His stage name is Spanis ...

, and

Lucía Méndez Lucía Leticia Méndez Pérez (born January 26, 1955) is a Mexican telenovela and film actress, top model and singer. Méndez was born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. Career In 2011, Lucía starred in Mexico the telenovela '' Esperanza del C ...

. In films such as ''Por tu maldito amor'', ''La ley del monte'', ''El hijo del pueblo'', and ''Mi querido viejo'', he introduced his music, so the title of the film reflected the title of the song introduced. His main role was that of the stereotypical Mexican "macho" and "gallant" man. As a film producer he debuted in 1974 with the film ''El hijo del pueblo''. His last film was ''Mi querido viejo'', in 1991, and thereafter he devoted himself exclusively to music.

Personal life

Controversies

Fernández sparked controversy after statements he made during an interview in May 2019 regarding his health. Fernández stated that he had been interned at a hospital in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

, United States to undergo a liver surgery, but he decided to reject a transplant because he did not "want to sleep with iswife while having the liver of another man, who could have been a homosexual or a drug user". In January 2021, Fernández sparked another controversy after placing his hand on a fan's breast while taking a picture with her family. A few days later, Fernández issued an apology to the woman's family, stating that "I admit that I was wrong, I don't know if I was joking, maybe it was a joke ..I don't know. I do not remember, there were many people (with whom I took photos), sincerely I offer an apology". In February 2021, Fernández was accused of sexual assault by a singer named Lupita Castro. Castro alleged that the incident had happened 40 years prior, when she was 17, and that she had kept her silence because of his influence and because of his threats of violence against her. Castro refused to go to court against Fernández.

Family

Fernández married María del Refugio Abarca "Cuquita" on 27 December 1963, the sister of a close friend of his whom he met in his hometown. Three children were born from the marriage, Vicente Jr., Gerardo, and

Alejandro Alejandro is the Spanish form of the name Alexander. Alejandro has multiple variations in different languages, including Aleksander (Czech, Polish), Alexandre ( French), Alexandros (Greek), Alsander (Irish), Alessandro (Italian), Aleksandr (Rus ...

and a fourth daughter, Alejandra, is his niece, whom they adopted. From their children they had 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Throughout his life he was accused by several persons of being unfaithful, which he always rejected. With his sons Alejandro and Vicente Jr, both singers, Vicente went on stage to sing with them on several occasions. The last time he went on stage was to sing with his son Alejandro, and to promote the musical career of one of his grandsons, Alex, in 2019. On the day of his death, his fortune was valued at $25 million.

Health issues

Fernandez suffered from cancer on two occasions: in 2002 he overcame prostate cancer and in 2012 he had a tumor removed from his liver. In 2013 he suffered a

thrombosis Thrombosis (from Ancient Greek "clotting") is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel (a vein or an artery) is injured, the body uses platelets (t ...

that caused him to lose his voice temporarily and in 2015 he underwent surgery to remove abdominal

hernias A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Various types of hernias can occur, most commonly involving the abdomen, and specifically the groin. Groin hernia ...

. He had chosen to refuse a liver transplant in 2012. In 2021 he was admitted to the hospital for two days to be treated for a

urinary tract infection A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a bladder infection (cystitis) and when it affects the upper urinary tract it is known as a kidney ...

and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Politics

Fernández was long associated with the

Partido Revolucionario Institucional The Institutional Revolutionary Party ( es, Partido Revolucionario Institucional, ; abbr. PRI) is a political party in Mexico that was founded in 1929 and held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years, from 1929 to 2000, first as the Nati ...

(PRI), which governed Mexico from 1929 to 2000 and again between 2012 and 2018. Fernández was one of the many performers who participated in the "Solidaridad" campaign during the administration of

Carlos Salinas de Gortari Carlos Salinas de Gortari CYC DMN (; born 3 April 1948) is a Mexican economist and politician who served as 60th president of Mexico from 1988 to 1994. Affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), earlier in his career he wor ...

in the 1980s, and has also performed at PRI rallies, attended PRI events or met with politicians from that party; on one occasion, he performed the song "Estos celos" for then-President

Enrique Peña Nieto Enrique Peña Nieto (; born 20 July 1966), commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican politician who served as the 64th president of Mexico from 1 December 2012 to 30 November 2018. A member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party ...

(a PRI member) during an official celebration. He was invited at the U.S. 2000 Republican National Convention in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

to sing the famous "

Cielito lindo "Cielito Lindo" is a popular Mexican song '' copla'', popularized in 1882 by Mexican author Quirino Mendoza y Cortés (c. 1862–1957). It is roughly translated as "Lovely Sweet One". Although the word ''cielo'' means "sky" or "heaven", it is a ...

". On 16 April 2016, at the end of his farewell concert, he cried out that he would "spit on" the then Republican Party primary candidate for the U.S. presidential election

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

for his anti-immigration speech. Fernández, later that year, expressed his support for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

with a song titled "El Corrido de Hillary Clinton". Following the last debate between Clinton and Trump, Clinton invited Fernández to the celebration at the Craig Ranch Regional Park Amphitheater,

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, U.S.

Death

Fernández was hospitalized in serious condition after falling at his ranch in Guadalajara on 6 August 2021. He had injured his

cervical spine In tetrapods, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are the vertebrae of the neck, immediately below the skull. Truncal vertebrae (divided into thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in mammals) lie caudal (toward the tail) of cervical vertebrae. In sau ...

and was placed on a

ventilator A ventilator is a piece of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators ...

under the intensive care unit. Two weeks later he was diagnosed with

Guillain–Barré syndrome Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system. Typically, both sides of the body are involved, and the initial symptoms are changes in sensation or pain oft ...

and began treatment on 13 August. His son Vicente confirmed to the press that it was a disease that had nothing to do with the fall he suffered. On 26 October 2021, he left intensive care following an improvement in his clinical condition. On 30 November 2021, he was again admitted to intensive care following a complication of his health caused by

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

. On 11 December, his son again reported in an interview that his father was sedated due to a worsening of his condition. Fernández died of complications from his injuries on 12 December 2021, at the age of 81.

President of Mexico The president of Mexico ( es, link=no, Presidente de México), officially the president of the United Mexican States ( es, link=no, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is the head of state and head of government of Mexico. Under the Co ...

Andrés Manuel López Obrador Andrés Manuel López Obrador (; born 13 November 1953), also known by his initials AMLO, is a Mexican politician who has been serving as the 65th president of Mexico since 1 December 2018. He previously served as Head of Government of Mex ...

mourned his death with a tweet in which he recognized Fernández as the "symbol of the ranchera song of our time, known and recognized in Mexico and abroad". The Colombian president,

Iván Duque Iván Duque Márquez (; born 1 August 1976) is a Colombian politician and lawyer who served as the president of Colombia from 2018 to 2022. He was elected as the candidate from the Democratic Centre Party in the 2018 Colombian presidential ...

, said "his departure hurts us and his legacy will be alive forever", the

U.S President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

, Joe Biden, said that "the world of music has lost an icon". Also on Twitter, leaders including the

President of Venezuela The president of Venezuela ( es, Presidente de Venezuela), officially known as the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is the head of state and head of government in Ven ...

Nicolás Maduro Nicolás Maduro Moros (; born 23 November 1962) is a Venezuelan politician and president of Venezuela since 2013, with his presidency under dispute since 2019. Beginning his working life as a bus driver, Maduro rose to become a trade unio ...

, the Mayor of Mexico City,

Claudia Sheinbaum Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (born 24 June 1962) is a Mexican scientist, politician, and head of government of Mexico City, a position equivalent to a state governor. She was elected on 1 July 2018 as part of the Juntos Haremos Historia coalition. S ...

, the former President of Colombia

Álvaro Uribe Álvaro Uribe Vélez (born 4 July 1952) is a Colombian politician who served as the 31st President of Colombia from 7 August 2002 to 7 August 2010. Uribe started his political career in his home department of Antioquia. He held offices in t ...

, and of Bolivia

Evo Morales Juan Evo Morales Ayma (; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero activist who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to co ...

as well as numerous Mexican and Latin American entertainment personalities offered their condolences. Former U.S Secretary of State

recognized Fernandez as "a musical icon and a good man". He died on the day of

Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe ( es, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe ( es, Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus associated with a series of five Marian apparitions, which are believed t ...

, patron saint of Mexico, to whom Fernández had a great devotion. Fernández's body was transferred from the funeral home to the Arena VFG, which the artist had donated to his city of

, where his family and at least six thousand fans were already waiting for him. Songs including "El Rey" and "Acá Entre Nos" were performed by his Mariachi Azteca. There the coffin with his remains was placed, in the middle of the stage that was turned into an altar with a large

crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...

presiding over the scene and on one side an image of the Our Lady of Guadalupe accompanied the coffin. On the coffin, which was surrounded by a sea of white flowers, rested his favorite

sombrero A sombrero (Spanish , ) is a type of wide-brimmed Mexican men's hat used to shield the face and eyes from the sun. It usually has a high pointed crown, an extra-wide brim (broad enough to cast a shadow over the head, neck and shoulders of the w ...

. The following day the Catholic funeral took place at the same arena. The ceremony was alternated by songs of his most famous rancheras and ended with "Volver volver", as he had wished, live. Afterwards, his body was taken to his ranch, where he was buried in a mausoleum.

Awards and nominations

In 1990, Fernández released the album ''Vicente Fernandez y las clásicas de José Alfredo Jiménez'', a tribute to Mexico's famous songwriter from

Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...

known as The "God of Ranchera Music"

, who was also his main musical influence. The album earned him '' Billboard'' and

Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...

's Latin Music Award for Mexican Regional Male Artist of the Year, which he won five times from 1989 to 1993. In 1998, Fernández was inducted into ''Billboard''s Latin Music Hall of Fame. On 11 November 1998 his star on the

was unveiled. In 2002, the Latin Recording Academy recognized Fernández as Person of the Year. That year he celebrated his 35th anniversary in the entertainment industry, a career in which he sold more than 50 million records and was inducted into the

International Latin Music Hall of Fame The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music genre. In addition to the induction into the Hall of Fame, the a ...

. He has 51 albums listed on the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for gold, platinum, and multiplatinum-selling records. Fernández also has an

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

in Guadalajara named in his honor built in 2005 by his company, and a star placed with his hand prints and name at the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City. Governor of New Mexico, U.S

Bill Richardson William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...

on 16 July 2008, declared 12 June as Vicente Fernández Day in the state. In 2010, Fernández was awarded his first

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for Best Regional Mexican Album for his record '' Necesito de Tí''. In 2012,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

gave Fernández the

key to the city The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

and renamed the

Little Village Little Village was an American/British rock band, formed in 1991 by Ry Cooder (guitar, vocal), John Hiatt (guitar, piano, vocal), Nick Lowe (bass, vocal) and Jim Keltner (drums). Each of the group's members had previously worked on Hiatt's 1987 ...

neighborhood's West 26th Street in his honor. In addition, the city celebrates "Vicente Fernandez Week" from 20 to 27 October. On 6 October 2019 in Guadalajara Fernández unveiled a statue created in his honor at the "Plaza de los Mariachis".

Grammy Awards

The

are awarded annually by the

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy Aw ...

of the United States. Fernández received four awards from fourteen nominations. , - , 1984 , '' ...Es La Diferencia'' , Best Mexican-American Performance , , - , 1991 , ''Las Clásicas de José Alfredo Jiménez'' , Best Mexican-American Performance , , - ,

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

, ''Lástima Que Seas Ajena'' , Best Mexican-American Album , , - ,

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

, ''Recordando a Los Panchos'' , Best Mexican-American Performance, Vocal or Instrumental , , - , 1997 , ''Vicente Fernández y sus Canciones'' , Best Mexican-American/Tejano Music Performance , , - , 1999 , ''Entre El Amor y Yo'' , Best Mexican-American Music Performance , , - ,

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

, ''Vicente Fernández y los Más Grandes Éxitos de Los Dandys'' , Best Mexican-American Music Performance , , - , 2001 , ''Lobo Herido'' , Best Mexican-American Music Performance , , - , 2002 , ''Más Con el Número Uno'' , Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album , , - , 2008 , '' Para Siempre'' , Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album , , - ,

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, '' Necesito de Tí'' , Best Regional Mexican Album , , - , 2015
''Mano a Mano – Tangos a la Manera de Vicente Fernández''
,

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

, , - , 2017
''Un Azteca En El Azteca, Vol. 1 (En Vivo)''
, Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) , , - ,

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...

''A Mis 80's''
, Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) ,

A Mis 80's

A Mis 80's is a 2022

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

Award winning album under

Best Regional Mexican Music Album The Grammy Award for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums i ...

category by Vicente Fernández. Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Latin Grammy Awards

The

are awarded annually by the

Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences pt, Academia Latina da Gravação , image = Latin_grammy_logo_(2022).png , image_border = , size = 150px , caption = , map = , msize = , mcaption = , motto = , formation = , extinction ...

of the United States. Fernández received eight awards from fourteen nominations and also earned the Latin Recording Academy for Person of the Year. , - ,

, ''Vicente Fernández y los Más Grandes Éxitos de Los Dandys'' , rowspan="8", Best Ranchero Album , , - , 2002 , ''Más Con El Número Uno'' , , - , 2003 , ''35 Aniversario – Lo Mejor de Lara'' , , - , rowspan="2", 2004 , ''En Vivo Juntos Por Ultima Vez'' (shared with

Alejandro Fernández Alejandro Fernández Abarca (; born 24 April 1971) is a Mexican singer. Nicknamed as El Potrillo by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million records worldwide, making him one of the most successful Hispanic music artists. He is the ...

) , , - , ''Se Me Hizo Tarde la Vida'' , , - , 2005 , ''Vicente Fernández y Sus Corridos Consentidos'' , , - , 2007 , ''La Tragedia del Vaquero'' , , - , rowspan="2", 2008 , rowspan="2", '' Para Siempre'' , , - , Album of the Year , , - , 2009 , '' Primera Fila'' , rowspan="6", Best Ranchero Album , , - ,

, '' Necesito de Ti'' , , - ,

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

, ''

'' , , - ,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

, ''Hoy'' , , - , 2014 , ''Mano a Mano – Tangos a la Manera de Vicente Fernández'' , , - ,

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

, ''A mis 80's'' , Each year is linked to the article about the Latin Grammy Awards held that year.

Lo Nuestro Awards

The

Lo Nuestro The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro (Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began in ...

Awards is an awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by television network

. Fernández received fourteen awards from thirty-three nominations.Lo Nuestro Awards: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * , - , rowspan="3", 1989 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Artist , , , - , ''El Cuatrero'' , , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , "Dos Corazones" (shared with

Vikki Carr Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona (born July 19, 1940), known by her stage name Vikki Carr, is an American vocalist. She has a singing career that spans more than four decades. Born in El Paso, Texas, to Mexican parents, she has p ...

) , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , rowspan="4",

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

, , Himself , , Regional Mexican Artist , , , - , ''Por Tu Maldito Amor'' , , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , "Por Tu Maldito Amor" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , "Mujeres Divinas" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 1991 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Artist , , , - , "Amor De Los Dos" (shared with

) , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3", 1992 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist of the Year , , , - , ''Arriba el Norte y Arriba el Sur'' (shared with

Ramón Ayala Ramón Covarrubias Garza (born December 8, 1945), known by his stage name Ramón Ayala, is a Mexican singer, composer and songwriter of Norteño music. Discography Studio albums (Ramón Ayala Y Sus Bravos Del Norte) * ''La Pura Maña'' (1971 ...

, , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , "Que Sepan Todos" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 1993 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , ''Qué De Raro Tiene'' , , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 1996 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , ''Aunque Me Duela el Alma'' , , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , , 1998 , , "Nos Estorbó la Ropa" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , , 1999 , , "Me Voy a Quitar de En Medio" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , ,

, , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , rowspan="3", 2001 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , ''Lobo Herido'' , , Regional Mexican Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 2002 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , , 2003 , , Himself , , People's Internet Choice Award: Regional Mexican , , , - , , 2004 , , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , , 2005 , , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , ,

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

, , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , , 2007 , , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , rowspan="2", 2008 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , Himself , , Excellence Award , , , - , rowspan="2", 2009 , , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , rowspan="4",

, , Himself , ,

Artist of the Year ''Artist of the Year'' is a television competition shown on the Sky Arts channel (formerly known as Artsworld and Sky Arts 1) which aims to find the best portrait and landscape painter every year. Overview Through several rounds of regional comp ...

, , , - , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , Himself , , Regional Mexican Male Artist , , , - , " El Último Beso" , , Regional Mexican Song of the Year , , , - , ,

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

, , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , ,

, , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , , - , , 2014 , , Himself , , Ranchera Performance , , Each year is linked to the article about the Lo Nuestro Awards held that year.

Honours

* Orden Libertadores y Libertadoras de Venezuela (Venezuela, 2012)

Discography

Filmography

Sources: * 1991: ''Mí Querido Viejo'' (''My Dear Old Man'') * 1990: ''Por Tu Maldito Amor'' (''For Your Damned Love'') * 1987: ''El Cuatrero'' (''The Rustler'') * 1987: ''El Diablo, el Santo y el Tonto'' (''The Devil, the Saint, and the Fool'') * 1987: ''El Macho'' (''The Tough One'') * 1987: ''El Embustero'' (''The Liar'') * 1985: ''Entre Compadres Te Veas'' (''You Find Yourself Among Friends'') * 1985: ''Sinvergüenza Pero Honrado'' (''Shameless But Honorable'') * 1985: ''Acorralado'' (''Cornered'') * 1985: ''Matar o Morir'' (''Kill or Die'') * 1983: ''Un Hombre Llamado el Diablo'' (''A Man Called the Devil'') * 1982: ''Juan Charrasqueado & Gabino Barrera * 1981: ''Una Pura y Dos Con Sal'' (''One Pure and Two with Salt'') * 1981: ''El Sinverguenza'' (''The Shameless One'') * 1981: ''Todo un Hombre'' (''Fully Manly'') * 1980: ''Como Mexico no Hay Dos'' (''Like Mexico There Is No Other'') * 1980: ''Picardia Mexicana Numero Dos'' (''Mexican Rogueishness Number Two'') * 1980: ''

Coyote and Bronca ''Coyote and Bronca'' (Spanish: ''El Coyote y la Bronca'') is a 1980 Mexican adventure film directed by Rafael Villaseñor Kuri and starring Vicente Fernández, Blanca Guerra, Felipe Arriaga and Gloria Marín.Ramírez Berg, p. 134. Cast * Vic ...

'' (''The Coyote and the Problem'') * 1979: '' El Tahúr'' (''The Gambler'') * 1977: ''Picardia Mexicana'' (''Mexican Rogueishness'') * 1977: ''El Arracadas'' (''The Earringer'') * 1975: ''Dios Los Cria'' (''God Raises Them'') * 1974: ''Juan Armenta: El Repatriado'' (''Juan Armenta: The Repatriated One'') * 1974: ''El Albañil '' ('' The Bricklayer'') * 1974: ''La Ley del Monte'' (''The Law of Wild'') * 1974: ''Entre Monjas Anda el Diablo'' (''The Devil Walks Between Nuns'') * 1974: ''El Hijo del Pueblo'' (''Son of the People'') * 1973: '' Tu Camino y el Mio'' (''Your Road and Mine'') * 1973: ''Uno y Medio Contra el Mundo'' (''One and a Half Against the World'') * 1971: ''Tacos Al Carbón'' (''Grilled Tacos'')

References

External links

Sony Music
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandez, Vicente 1940 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Mexican male actors 20th-century Mexican male singers 21st-century Mexican male actors 21st-century Mexican male singers Accidental deaths from falls Accidental deaths in Mexico Grammy Award winners Latin Grammy Award winners Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees Latin music songwriters Male actors from Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexican film producers Mexican male film actors Mexican male singer-songwriters Ranchera singers Singers from Guadalajara, Jalisco Sony Music Latin artists