José Alfredo Jiménez was remembered on the 100th anniversary of his birth with a tribute in Garibaldi Square, where it was announced that some streets in the Cuauhtémoc borough will be named after his songs.
Accompanied by the Mariachi Los Gavilanes de José Alfredo Jiménez, Gabriel Solís, María Elena Leal, and Percy sang “Las Mañanitas” for the Guanajuato-born composer, who was also remembered with his greatest hits such as “El Rey,” “Para morir iguales,” “El crucifijo de piedra,” “En el último trago,” “Ella,” “Te solté la rienda,” “Canta, canta, canta,” and “La media vuelta,” which the audience joined in singing along to in the Garibaldi Square.
Ángel Jiménez, the composer’s grandson, read a heartfelt message and congratulations for his grandfather.
“Today I come to congratulate you on your 100th birthday. Thank you for singing to us what we can’t express, for teaching us to cry openly and to toast without fear. José Alfredo is so great that today he is not only being celebrated here, but also in Spain, where he received a tribute. In Mazatlán, Sinaloa, a tribute is being held by Germán Lizárraga, and Guanajuato is celebrating, especially in Dolores Hidalgo, his hometown.”
Inbal Miller, Director General of Culture and Education in the Cuauhtémoc borough, told MILENIO that some streets in that area will be named after some of the composer’s songs.
“José Alfredo Jiménez spent his childhood and adolescence in Santa María la Rivera. We are looking to name some streets in Santa María after his songs, and we also want to have a streetcar tour through the neighborhood, telling a bit about his life, the cantinas he frequented, and where he wrote his songs. The idea is that his music will be played during the tour,” he shared.
The stage set up to commemorate the musical artist faced Tenampa, the place where Jiménez was born and where he enjoyed visiting to sing until his final days.
