About twelve days ago, Mexico lost a great ranchera music singer of all time.
When I first found out he passed away, I couldn’t believe it, I had just heard a few months ago that he was in the hospital recuperating from a surgery.
I didn’t know why, but I was sad about Vicente Fernandez passing. “Why was I sad? I wasn’t even a big fan!” I said to myself.
He passed away on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 6:15 a.m. and I watched his funeral and memorial service the following day. It was very emotional.
I’ve had a week to reflect on his passing and why I became so emotional about it.
I realized that Vicente Fernandez represented more than a Mexican music icon and one of the last ranchera singers of all time; his death became more personal to me.
My grandmother used to love Vicente Fernandez music, she used to sing his songs whenever she was doing her usual weekend chores, like washing clothes in her backyard where she also tended her garden. My grandmother’s backyard house had a traditional layout like most houses in Mexico; a washboard made of concrete right next to a small garden, most Mexican households still have this in their backyard nowadays.
My grandmother used to love singing songs of Lola Beltrán and Vicente Fernández, two famous Mexican ranchera singers who are considered the best in regional folk music. Lola Beltrán passed away in 1996, but her style of music and songs have become a big influence in future new comers to ranchera music.
Ranchera music is a genre of traditional music from Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. It later became closely associated with the Mariachi bands that evolved in the state of Jalisco.
A sudden memory of my grandmother singing “Cucurrucucú Paloma” by Lola Beltrán while she washed her clothes in her garden, took over me after I found out Vicente Fernández had just passed away. His passing reminded me of how much my grandmother loved ranchera music.
My memories of my grandmother are of her almost always being stressed out and being upset about something, but when she was in her backyard, tending her garden and washing her clothes, she seemed relaxed. That’s one of the few times I remember her being happy.
I believe that the reason why she felt happy and relaxed in her backyard is because this was the only place that reminded her of her hometown in the countryside, away from the foreign, busy city which was not her home. Her backyard had a garden where she tended her flowers, fruits, and birds. I believe she often got homesick as I’m told she grew up around horses, ranchera music, and farm life.
My grandmother was originally from Santa Cruz de las Flores, Jalisco a small town within close distance to Vicente’s hometown, Huentitán El Alto, Jalisco. She migrated to San Luis Potosí, another state located about five hours away from her hometown, after she met my grandfather and got married. I think my grandmother identified to Vicente in so many ways, he was from a small town just like her and his music reminded her of her hometown in Jalisco. Vicente’s songs talked about living in the countryside of Mexico and I can see why my grandmother could identify with him as she also grew up in the countryside.
The state of Jalisco, where my grandmother was born, is also famous for their Mariachi music, which is a type of regional Mexican music composed of a variety of mostly stringed instruments, the songs talk about country life in Mexico as well as about love and loss.
In fact, Mariachi music originated in Cocula, Jalisco, in the state where my grandmother was born and raised, the fact that this music originated and became popular in this region of Mexico, where my grandmother grew up, made my grandmother identify even more to Vicente Fernandez.
Growing up in Mexico, Vicente’s music was very prevalent in every household, I remember my grandmother playing his songs on her record player during family reunions and parties. I never thought I would stop listening to them until the day I left Mexico. I guess I took it for granted, and thought that I would continue to listen to this beautiful music forever.
Suddenly, one day, I left Mexico and stopped listening to Vicente Fernandez’ songs on the radio. His songs were replaced by American country and classic rock songs. If I ever came across any songs from Vicente Fernandez in the United States, I would become excited and nostalgic while trying to figure out where the music was coming from.
It was as if all of the sudden Vicente Fernandez and his ranchera songs were more important than any other music in the world.
This is how Vicente Fernandez ranchera songs became essential to the life of many Mexican immigrants who came to the United States, including myself. As his songs comforted many immigrants who, being away from their hometown and being homesick from their country, listened and sung along Vicente’s most popular songs, like “Los Mandados,” “Volver, Volver,”“México Lindo y Querido,” and “Por tu Maldito Amor.”
Then I understood why I felt very emotional about Vicente Fernandez passing, he represented Mexico and everything I left behind, my country, my culture, my food, my identity, my extended family, and my beloved grandmother…
His death reminded me of when I left my country and my grandmother.
Vicente represented not just my grandmother’s songs, but also my life in Mexico and everything I left behind.
His songs will forever remind me of Mexico, my grandmother, and the life I was knew before coming to a foreign country.
Rest in Peace Vicente Fernandez, your music will be remembered forever!
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