Vicente Fernandez, also known as “Chente” was an icon. He was known as Mexico’s symbol of National Pride. He was known for embracing his deep connection to Mexican traditions wearing charro outfits, performing with his horses, acting in films and telenovelas. His acts helped shape the Mexican traditions/culture we have now.
He was born on February 17 and passed away on December 12 in 2022. He was born into a wealthy family. His parents worked on a “rancho,” or a farm, meaning they did not have the privilege of money. Due to this, Fernandez had to work from a young age.
At eight years old he received his first guitar and quickly learned how to play it. By the age of fourteen he entered a singing contest and won first place, he gained the confidence to play at restaurants and weddings. He joined two of Guadalajara’s best Mariachi groups however he wanted to take his career as far as possible so he moved to Mexico City in hopes of getting a record deal.
After playing the waiting game, a famous artist Javier Solis passes away, now opening a spot for Fernandez. Record companies are reaching out offering him a record deal. In the summer of 1966, Vicente Fernandez recorded his first hits. For a couple of years, Fernandez branched out into acting and discovered big success. He was in a total of 34 films. He became a sensation when he released “Volver, Volver,” the lyrics encompassed a heartbroken man who yearned for his lover. This song was heard everywhere, his new concept approach was a hit.
From that moment on, he was known as an icon, an influential pioneer of musica ranchera. His discography consists of 100 albums, in his entire career he sold over fifty million albums. Throughout his career he received four Grammys and nine Latin Grammy Awards, Premio Lo Nuestro, and a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In September 2002 he was named “Person of the Year” by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts. In the year 2022, a Netflix show was released talking about his story, however it was later released that the show itself wasn’t fully factual.
He married Maria del Refugio Abarca Villasenor in 1963 and they had 4 children. One of them, Alejandro Fernandez, followed in his fathers footsteps and pursued music. He has also become an icon and holds a large sum of fame.
Vicente Fernandez always made sure to stay humble and remember his roots. He commemorates his childhood by building himself and his family a ranch where he kept himself busy. In 2016 he retired from performing but he still continued to release music. He passed after being sedated for worsening of his health, he passed the following morning from complications caused by injuries.
Vicente Fernandez will continue to be honored and praised in the music industry for the global impact he left. His legacy will continue to be told and shared for many years to come.
