José Alfredo Jiménez

José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval (Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, January 19, 1926-Mexico City, November 23, 1973) was a Mexican actor and singer-songwriter. Jiménez was the author of emblematic musical themes of ranchera music and mariachi.

Biography and career

Son of Agustín Jiménez Tristán and Carmen Sandoval Rocha, he was born in the city of Dolores Hidalgo, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, where he spent his first years of life, until shortly after the death of his father in 1936, who He owned a pharmacy called 'San Vicente'. José Alfredo had three brothers: Concepción, Víctor and Ignacio.^{[citation required]}

At the age of eleven he arrived in Mexico City where as a teenager he began to compose his first songs. His mother opened a small store that did not prosper, so José Alfredo had to contribute to the family economy and held multiple jobs, including being a waiter; He was also a soccer player. He participated in the Oviedo and Marte teams of the first division of Mexican soccer, in the goalkeeper position, coinciding as a teammate with Antonio & # 34; La Tota & # 34; Carbajal. Later, he was a member of a group called 'Los Rebeldes'. ^{[citation needed]}

The restaurant where he worked, "La Sirena", was frequented by Andrés Huesca, who heard some of the then young singer-songwriter's songs, among which was "When destiny" (song in which José Alfredo had a lot of faith) and "Yo"; Huesca decided to record the latter immediately and as a result he sang in 1948 for the first time on the radio station XEX-AM and months later on XEW-AM, where he catapulted to fame.

He gave his girlfriend Paloma Gálvez the song Paloma Querida, and she looked for Jorge Negrete who was the greatest interpreter of the Mexican song at that time to sing it, Jorge Negrete was amazed by the lyrics and recorded an album with songs by José Alfredo Jiménez, being an overwhelming success for both.

He married Paloma Gálvez with whom he had two children, José Alfredo and Paloma. Later, in the relationship he had with Mary Medel, they had four children, Guadalupe, José Antonio, Martha and José Alfredo. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Among the almost 300 songs that he composed throughout his life, there are corridos, huapangos and ranchera music. "The King", "La Media Vuelta", "The Horseman" and "If they let us" being part of the successes.

José Alfredo lived in the last years of his life with the then young Mexican singer Alicia Juárez, whom he met in 1966, when she was 17 years old, and whom he married in 1970. With her he recorded an album in 1972.^{[citation required]}

Death

José Alfredo Jiménez died in Mexico City, on November 23, 1973, at the age of 47, as a result of the liver cirrhosis that he had suffered for years; According to the words of his last wife, José Alfredo's agony was terrible. His remains rest in the cemetery of his hometown, as he anticipated in his song & # 34; Camino de Guanajuato & # 34; and "Thank you". Chavela Vargas was a close friend of José Alfredo Jiménez. She says that when the doctors told the composer that he had two months to live, she called her to & # 34; have the last party & # 34; together with fellow composer Tomás Méndez, author of Cucurrucucú. They spent three days and nights singing, drinking and going to excess at Tenampa, the legendary bar in Garibaldi Square, in the Mexican capital. They say that when Jiménez died, Chavela went to his wake, and collapsed, singing and crying, drunk. ^{[citation required]}

Filmography

• The crazy miracles (1975)
• The Chamuscada (Earth and Freedom) (1971)
• The warlord (1968)
• Wrinkle of God (1967)
• I got tired of begging him. (1966)
• Audacious and brave (1965)
• School for singles (1965)
• The smile of the poor (1964)
• The Dappy's daughters (1962)
• Juana Gallo (1961)
• The man of the azan (1959)
• Each who his music (1959)
• My parents get divorced. (1959)
• Fairs of Mexico (1959)
• Midnight guitars (1958)
• The fair of San Marcos (1958)
• Pure life (1956)
• Three rascals (1955)
• Camino de Guanajuato (1955)
• The adventurers (1954)
• Not poor or rich (1953)
• The lover (1952)
• There comes Martin Corona (1952)
• The guests of La Marquesa (What a rich mambo!) (1951)

Interpretations in the media

José Alfredo Jiménez was played by the following actors in films and television:

• Leonardo Daniel in the film But I'm still the king (1988), based on the life of José Alfredo Jiménez.