LA’s Boyle Heights Might Rename A Street After The Iconic Vicente Fernández, Proving Que Sigue Siendo ‘El Rey’
Iconic Mexican singer Vicente Fernández passed away last month at 81 years old, and fans from all over the world are still heartbroken over the news.
So many of us honored “El Rey de la Música Ranchera” by throwing back the mezcal or tequila, and singing hits like “Acá Entre Nos,” “Por Tu Maldito Amor,” and “A Mi Manera” at the top of our lungs — while shedding a few tears, too.
Meanwhile, some of the singer’s most devoted listeners paid their respects to Fernández at his public memorial service in his own Vicente Fernández Gómez (VFG) Arena in Jalisco, Mexico, right next to the Fernández family ranch Los Tres Potrillos. No matter the way each of us mourned, it is safe to say that December 12 will always be a sad day for any fan of la música ranchera, and the music world in general. That being said, Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León has decided to honor the late singer in one of the most epic ways possible.
As reported by NBC Los Angeles, De León set the idea in motion this week, calling for the city of L.A. to consider changing the name of a Boyle Heights street to honor Fernández.
De León attended a City Council meeting on Wednesday to talk about the idea, which would officially change the name of Bailey Street to “Vicente Fernández Street” from First Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.
As explained by the L.A. Times, this street is near Mariachi Plaza in L.A., which just celebrated its 30th anniversary and is known as a place of community for mariachi musicians and lovers of the genre. Renaming it Vicente Fernández Street will, of course, honor “El Charro de Huentitán,” but will also honor the mariachi músicos that feel inspired by him every day, and the Latino community.
City Councilman De León spoke passionately about Fernández during the meeting, saying that his “music and talent impacted generations of Latinos, not only in his native homeland of Mexico, but across the globe.”
Calling Fernández the “jefe de jefes,” De León also explained that L.A. is home to the second-largest Mexican population out of all the cities in the world — only topped by Mexico City. Vicente Fernández Street would honor the “Estos Celos” singer, but will be just as important to the Latino population in L.A., and all of Fernández’s fans throughout the world. As the City Councilman puts it, “his legacy is not only the music that he made… but the memories we all were able to make listening to the music he created and shared with us.”
The city of Pico Rivera, CA also expressed the possibility of renaming their Sports Arena Road to “Avenida Vicente Fernández,” taking to Twitter to share their hopes for it.
