Heralded as the King of the Rancheros, Mexican singer Vicente Fernández is one of the world's most beloved figures in the popular art form known as música ranchera. With dozens of albums and films to his credit, Fernández' 35-year career began after winning a singing contest, and has brought him to audiences around the world as one of the leading crooners of this modest genre with more than 45 million albums sold. Vicente was born in 1940 in the town of Huetitán de Alto in Jalisco, and since his debut at age 21 has become on the biggest names alongside ranchero peers such as Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete.
Known for his highly emotional performances and displays of sentimentality (crying on stage), Vicente's portrayal of the enigmatic man's man and ultra-Mexican "macho" has delighted his dedicated fans for decades. In his commitment to give audiences everything they want and more, he has been known to extend his concerts well beyond the allotted time, at one point resulting in a $30,000 fine (imposed by the venue) for performing for three straight hours!
His son Alejandro is also a successful Mexican pop vocalist, and their appearance together on the Latin Grammy telecast had fans of several generations swooning together. Don Vicente received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of a record-breaking audience of 5,000, along with international media coverage. —Rebeca Mauleon
