U.S. #5707
2022 60¢ Mariachi – Trumpet Player & Sun
Issue Date: July 15, 2022
First Day City: Albuquerque, NM
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 20
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 18,000,000
Some of the greatest Mexican musicians of all time started out performing as or were inspired by mariachi. Some of these names include Jorge Negrete, Juan Gabriel, Pedro Infante, and Vincente Fernández, although there are many others. Many considered these men the rock stars of Mexico. They played a major role in the spread of mariachi music across the globe.
Perhaps the most famous Mexican musician with connections to mariachi was Vincente Fernández (February 17, 1940 – December 12, 2021). Fernández began singing in restaurants and at weddings with different mariachi groups when he was just 14 years old. He appeared on television for the first time at 21 and recorded his first album at 26. Ten years later, he recorded the song Volver Volver, and his popularity soared, reaching even the United States. He won several Grammy Awards and his live concerts (both in Mexico and the United States) broke attendance records as late as 2009.
Fernández became known as "The King of Ranchera Music" and "The Idol of Mexico." His music earned him a fan base much like that of Elvis Presley. Even after his death, Vicente Fernández fans were extremely passionate about their "king." In 1991, the US media referred to him as the "Mexican Sinatra."