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Beloved Mexican singer, actor, and icon Vicente Fernández might have a street named after him in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León presented the motion to rename Bailey Street (between First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, near Mariachi Plaza) in honor of the late singer.
“Unfortunately, with the council in a recess in December, we did not have the opportunity to recognize this cultural icon, whose music and talent impacted generations of Latinos, not only in his homeland of Mexico but throughout the world,” said De León referring to “El Rey de las Rancheras.”
De León compared Fernández with Frank Sinatra, adding that the legendary singer’s “awards and accolades are too numerous to mention.” The councilman highlighted Fernández‘s multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards and reminded everyone of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“His legacy is not just his music,” the councilman said, “but the memories we all were able to make listening to the music he created and shared with us.”
De León described Don Vicente as the “boss of bosses” and said that there’s no better place to honor Fernández than in the city with the second-largest Mexican population in the world.
If the motion gets approved, Mariachi Plaza, known for its history as a center for mariachi music, where mariachi musicians gather in hopes of being hired to play in private parties, will have a new location to the east and musicians another reason to be proud.
After the passing of Don Vicente, musician Sergio Olvera told the Los Angeles Times that he was grateful to Fernández because thanks to his music, he was able to be hired to play at birthdays and weddings. “Vicente Fernández has given us a lot of work,” Olvera said, adding, “He was a fighter. A tireless fighter for his profession.
Vicente Fernández, one of the greatest icons of Mexican music, died on December 12 at 81. The singer, also known as “El Charro de Huentitán,” had worried his family and fans after spending more than four months hospitalized at the Country 2000 medical center in Guadalajara, Jalisco. His family released the details through a statement on his official Instagram profile.
Don Vicente Fernández, known for classics like “El Rey” and “Volver, Volver,” died on the same day as the country celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe. This national holiday in Mexico marks an appearance of the Virgin Mary to a young indigenous man on December 12th, 1531.