José Alfredo Jiménez was a Mexican singer-songwriter born in Dolores Hidalgo in 1926. He began writing music at a young age and became famous for his songs that were inspired by his own life experiences. In 1951, he moved to Mexico City and signed with Columbia Records, releasing his first single “Yo”. Over the course of his career, he recorded hundreds of songs that solidified him as a figure in traditional Mexican folk music. Jiménez is known for hits such as “El Rey” and “Camino de Guanajuato”. His legacy lives on as his music continues to be popular across Mexico and Latin America. He died in 1973 at the age of 47 due to liver cirrhosis. Jiménez is remembered as one of the greats in Mexican music history and is often referred to as “El Rey de la música ranchera”.
