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Mexican musical icon Vicente Fernández dead at 81

Vicente Fernández performing live
Youtube screenshot

Mexican musical icon Vicente Fernández has passed away at the age of 81.

Fernández was known as the "King of the ranchera music"

His death was announced Sunday via social media. Fernández sold over 50 million records and earned 3 Grammys and 8 Latin Grammy awards.

Texas Public Radio is supported by contributors to the Arts & Culture News Desk including The Guillermo Nicolas & Jim Foster Art Fund, Patricia Pratchett, and the V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation.

San Antonio resident Juan Vallejo is a musician and a fan of Fernández.

"The man basically changed mariachi music...anything that he sung, he sung it with everything in his soul. He was one of the immortals and he's gonna be greatly missed" said Vallejo.

Fernández died at his home in Guadalajara . He had been hospitalized since August.

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Jerry Clayton can be reached at jerry@tpr.org or on Twitter at @jerryclayton.