{"id":6697,"date":"2015-06-19T07:03:21","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T11:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/?p=6697"},"modified":"2023-05-22T08:02:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-22T12:02:14","slug":"latin-music-history-ranchera-icons-part-1-jose-alfredo-jimenez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/2015\/06\/19\/latin-music-history-ranchera-icons-part-1-jose-alfredo-jimenez\/","title":{"rendered":"Latin Music History: Ranchera Icons Part 1 – Jose Alfredo Jimenez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mexican Ranchera<\/a> music has enjoyed great popularity for the last half-century, in large part due to the contributions of two artists; Jose Alfredo Jimenez and Juan Gabriel.<\/p>\n

\"Jose<\/a>
Jose Alfredo Jimenez wrote over 1000 songs, many of which became standards of the Mexican songbook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Between them, they have written over 2,000 songs, and some of them (or perhaps I should say many of them) have become standards of the Mexican songbook. Two artists, from two different eras, with two different lifestyles, and at the same time with many similarities and nexus.<\/p>\n

You may be thinking that there have been many other famous Ranchera artists through the last 65 years, and you would be correct. Among them, Pedro Vargas, Antonio Aguilar, and Vicente Fernandez are worth mentioning.<\/p>\n

However, as song-writers, Jose Alfredo Jimenez and Juan Gabriel not only created hits for themselves, but their songs impacted many other artists. For me, this is the reason why their contributions to Ranchera music are perhaps the most impactful in the Mexican songbook.<\/p>\n

In this 1st of a 2-part series, I highlight Mexican singer-songwriter Jose Alfredo Jimenez, who emerged from the poor streets of Guanajuato, Mexico to international fame, and while doing so, elevated Ranchera music to new heights, and inspired the next generations of Mexican artists, including Juan Gabriel. However, his glorious career contrasted with his tragically short life.<\/p>\n

From Ranchera Origins to Jose Alfredo Jimenez<\/h3>\n

Let me give you a quick summary in order to weave the story from the origins of Ranchera music to Jose Alfredo Jimenez.<\/p>\n

\"Mexican<\/a>
Jose Alfredo Jimenez is one of Mexico’s favorite songwriters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although some people place the origins of Ranchera in the mid-19th century as the music played by the early Mariachis, the common wisdom is that Ranchera music actually started during and just after the Mexican Revolution of the early 1900’s. It became the song adopted by the common people of Mexico as a way to protest against the aristocracy of the time, best exemplified by excesses of then dictator Porfirio Diaz.<\/p>\n

The name Ranchera comes from Rancho (ranch), in other words, the music from the ranch. Early lyrics were allusive to the Revolution. This perhaps explains the insertion of the “Grito Mexicano” (Mexican yell) in the interludes of Rancheras, and perhaps it\u2019s the reason Ranchera themes are mostly about patriotism and love. A good example is the ranchera “Adelita<\/a><\/em>“, which touches on both themes.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most prominent artist coming out of the Revolution years was Lucha Reyes, considered the “mother of Ranchera” and the “Queen of Mariachi”. She began creating Mexican standards like “Ay Jalisco, no te rajes!<\/em>“, a reference to her home state. Lucha was very popular during the 1920s through 1944, when she met a sudden early death, being only 38 years old.<\/p>\n

To help you can get a feel of her talent, here’s a video cut\u00a0from a 1941 movie where Lucha Reyes sings the song she help popularize, “Ay Jalisco No Te Rejes<\/em>“.<\/p>\n