The death of Mexican singer Vicente Fernändez this month
(December 2021) has resulted in
news media coverage across the globe,
and in many languages besides Spanish or English.

I remember hearing his songs on the radio when my residence
was in New Mexico, for about two decades of my adult life.
The great advantage of making Fernández' s acquaintance,
acquaintance with his music and voice, in New Mexico
was the context provided, on those radio broadcasts,
with so many other Mexican singers,
everybody from Antonio Águilar to Pedro Infante.

This is what I have to contribute, as a musician whose life
has been shaped by singing and songs more than by anything else,
even my piano lessons.

Vicente Fernández may have been 'self-taught' as reports now say.
Regardless, he learned, early and well, in some way or other,
the kind of secure, athletic singing technique
which gave him the power, range, and eloquence of an opera singer --
and he maintained that security of singing technique
throughout the whole of his very lengthy musical career,
long after his matinée-idol cinematic starring roles were over.
Many are the other singers of Ranchera, Mariachi, Norteño,
and other Mexican idioms
who start out their singing careers with glorious singing instruments,
truly wonderful voices,
and then the singing goes downhill because technique is faulty or lacking.
I don't truly know where or how Fernández learned to sing the way he did,
but he is a role model and exemplar for singers everywhere,
and a reproach to some of them!

Vaya con Diós, Don 'Chente',
and go and embrace in heaven
all the beloved colleagues who passed away before you did.
You have earned your place singing for joy in the chorus there.