José Alfredo Jiménez

José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse alˈfɾeðo xiˈmenes]; 19 January 1926 – 23 November 1973) was a Mexican singer-songwriter, whose songs are regarded as the basis of modern Regional Mexican music and Rancheras.^[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Jiménez and the second or maternal family name is Sandoval.

José Alfredo Jiménez
Altar dedicated to Jiménez
Background information
Birth name	José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval
Also known as	"El Rey"
Born	(1926-01-19)19 January 1926 Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico
Died	23 November 1973(1973-11-23) (aged 47) Mexico City, Mexico
Genres	Regional Mexican Canción ranchera Corrido Mariachi
Occupations	Musician songwriter
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1946–1973
Labels	RCA

Early life

Jiménez was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico.^[1] His father died when he was ten years old, and his mother moved the family to Mexico City. Jiménez worked from a young age to help support his family. He took a job as a waiter at a Yucatacan restaurant in Santa María de la Ribera^[2] named La Sirena. While working there, he started writing songs and singing with a group called Los Rebeldes.^[3]

Career

The singer Miguel Aceves Mejía claims to have discovered him from Los Rebeldes. According to Mejía, Jiménez did not play an instrument and did not even know the Spanish word for "waltz" or what keys his songs were in.^[2] Following Mejía's instruction, Jiménez auditioned at the Radio Station XEW's Amanecer Ranchero together with the Mariachi Vargas and Rubén Fuentes. Jiménez performed a cappella, including his song "Ella". Don Miguel subsequently recorded "Ella, "Yo", "Serenata huasteca" and "Tu Recuerdo y yo".

After this, he composed more than 1,000 songs. Among the most famous are "Yo", "Me equivoqué contigo", "Ella", "Paloma querida", "Que se me acabe la Vida ", "Tú y la mentira", "Media vuelta", "El Rey", "Sin sangre en las venas", "El jinete", "Si nos dejan", "Amanecí en tus brazos", "Llegando a ti", "Tu recuerdo y yo", El hijo del pueblo", "Cuando el destino", "El caballo blanco", "Llegó borracho el Borracho" and "Que te vaya bonito", as well as "Camino de Guanajuato", where he sang about his home state of Guanajuato.

One of his last appearances on Mexican television occurred in 1973, just months prior to his death, where he introduced his last song, "Gracias", accompanied by his wife, singer Alicia Juarez. Later, Jiménez died at the age of forty-seven years old in Mexico City on 23 November 1973 due to complications resulting from cirrhosis of the liver.^[1]

Tribute

The themed José Alfredo Jiménez' tomb in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato

Jiménez is buried in his hometown of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato. His tomb, the "Mausoleum of José Alfredo Jiménez", is in the shape of a traditional shawl and sombrero, much like the ones Jiménez would wear during his performances.

Son of José Alfredo Jiménez, singer José Alfredo Jiménez Medel, wrote a prologue to a 214-page book commemorating him that is titled En el último trago nos vamos.^[4] His daughter, Paloma Jiménez Gálvez, also released a book titled Es Inútil Dejar De Quererte: 50 Años Sin José Alfredo in the 37th edition of the Guadalajara International Book Fair.^[5]

His songs have been recorded by many artists, such as Selena, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Little Joe Hernández & The Latinaires, and the Mexican rock group Maná.^[1] Joaquín Sabina paid homage to Jiménez with his song, "Por el Bulevar de los Sueños Rotos" ("On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams"). The country artist Luke Tan recorded a disc of his favorite Jiménez songs in Spanish, including some with English translations.

Monument to José Alfredo Jiménez in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato

Discography

Studio albums

• La Sota De Copas (1970)
• El Cantinero (1971)
• El Rey (1971)
• Gracias (1972)

Compilations

• 15 Exitos Inolvidables De (1983) — RCA Records
• 12 Exitos De Oro (1988) — RCA Records
• Lo Esencial (2008) — RCA/Legacy Recordings

Partial filmography

• The Guests of the Marquesa (1951)
• Here Comes Martin Corona (1952)
• El enamorado (1952)
• Ni pobres ni ricos (1953)
• Los aventureros (1954)
• Tres bribones (1955) – Cantante
• Camino de Guanajuato (1955) – José Alfredo Martínez
• Pura Vida (1956) – El mismo
• La fiera (1956) – Cantante
• La feria de San Marcos (1958)
• Guitarras de medianoche (1958) – José Alfredo
• Ferias de México (1959)
• Mis padres se divorcian (1959) – Cantante (uncredited)
• Cada quién su música (1959)
• El hombre del alazán (1959)
• Juana Gallo (1961) – Nabor, el caporal
• Las hijas del Amapolo (1962)
• La Sonrisa de los Pobres (1964)
• Escuela para solteras (1965) – El desesperado
• Audaz y bravero (1965) – Cantante
• Me cansé de rogarle (1966)
• Arrullo de Dios (1967)
• El caudillo (1968) – Borrego
• La chamuscada (1971) – Revolucionario
• La loca de los milagros (1975) – (final film role)

References

Cited

1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 221. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
2. Aceves Mejia, Miguel (17 June 2013). "Jose Alfredo Jimenez". Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
3. Gurza, Agustín. "José Alfredo Jiménez". The Strachwitz Frontera Collection of Mexican and Mexican American Recordings. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
4. "Escritores reinterpretan a José Alfredo Jiménez" [Writers reinterpret José Alfredo Jiménez]. El Sol de México (in Spanish). 25 November 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
5. "Daughter of José Alfredo Jiménez prepares album with unreleased material". The Yucatan Times. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2024.

Other

• Jiménez, José Alfredo. 1 April 2002. Publication Somos, Group Televisa S.A de C.V. "Promotor con buen Estrella". pp. 62–63.

External links

• Songs of José Alfredo Jiménez
• Testimony from Miguel Aceves Mejía
• José Alfredo Jiménez at IMDb