Vicente Fernandez
| Vicente Fernández | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Vicente Fernández Gómez 17 February 1940 Huentitán el Alto, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1965–present (no longer performing live, however continues to record music) |
| Net worth | $25 million |
| Spouse(s) | Maria del Refugio Abarca (m. 1963) |
| Children | 4 (including Alejandro Fernández) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | |
Vicente "Chente" Fernández Gómez (born 17 February 1940) is a Mexican retired singer, actor, and film producer. Nicknamed as "El Rey de la Música Ranchera" (The King of Ranchera Music) Fernández started his career singing for tips on the street, and has since become a cultural icon, recording more than 50 albums and contributing to more than 30 films. His repertoire consists of rancheras and other Mexican classics. He is accompanied live by a mariachi group, but he is not technically a mariachi musician, as he plays no instrument live.
Fernandez's work has earned him two Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, fourteen Lo Nuestro Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making him one of the best-selling regional Mexican artists of all time. In 2016, Fernández has retired from performing live, however continues to record and publish music.
Born on 17 February 1940 Huentitán El Alto suburb of Guadalajara Jalisco, Fernández spent his early years on his father Ramon's ranch on the outskirts of Guadalajara. He also worked at a young age as a waiter, dish washer, cashier, and finally manager of his uncle's restaurant. "Chente" as he was known to all, became fond of the idyllic ranch lifestyle. His mother often took him to see the films of Pedro Infante; he has said of these films' significance: "When I was 6 or 7, I would go see Pedro Infante's movies, and I would tell my mother, 'When I grow up, I'll be like him.'" By age 8 he had taken up the guitar and was practicing singing in the style of the ranchera singers he heard on the radio. As a boy, Fernandez sang at a festival in Arandas, Mexico where he won the contest. Later, at 21, he won 31 pesos in another contest. In 1954 he won an amateur contest sponsored by a Guadalajara television station. It was his first break into performing and he began to play at local clubs and gatherings. But around this time, Fernandez's father lost the ranch and the family moved into the city of Tijuana. Fernandez, who had dropped out of school in the fifth grade, began working odd jobs in the city such as janitor, dishwasher, waiter—whatever he could find—all the while holding to his musical aspirations. He recently said he was originally from Cocula, Jalisco.
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