Mariachi King Jose Hernandez and His Sol de Mexico®
Mariachi King Jose Hernandez and his Sol de Mexico have a biography and history as rich and colorful as mariachi music itself.
A proud fifth generation mariachi musician, Maestro Hernandez' mariachi roots trace back to 1879 to the birthplace of mariachi, the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Ever since he founded his Mariachi Sol de Mexico in 1981 Jose Hernandez has gone on to break countless barriers in the world of mariachi music and is recognized as having turned the genre into the international sensation it is today. Jose Hernandez is the first mariachi musician to have arranged, composed and conducted for numerous international symphony orchestras. His platinum selling Mariachi Sol de Mexico became the first mariachi ensemble to be nominated twice for a Grammy.
Sol de Mexico continues to travel the world as Ambassadors of mariachi music having performed to sold-out concerts throughout the world including Spain, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Mexico, China, and even North Korea. Presidents have been thrilled to meet with Kings for centuries and the tradition lives on because Mariachi King Jose Hernandez has performed for five U.S. Presidents: Ronald Regan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Maestro Hernandez has also been recognized as one of the top 100 most influential Latino's in America by Hispanic Magazine. Jose Hernandez continues to nourish and inspire new generations of mariachi students through his charitable foundation The Mariachi Heritage Society which he founded in 1991. Maestro Hernandez and his Sol de Mexico are an undeniable institution in the world of mariachi music, and continue to leave an incredible legacy through many of their recordings as well as their contributions to Hollywood, including film scores for Sea Biscuit, Old Gringo, American Me, Don Juan de Marco, A Million to Juan, Glory Road, and most recently, Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
It has been well documented throughout the mariachi world that Jose Hernandez and his Mariachi Sol de Mexico are not only responsible for setting a new standard for all mariachi groups today, but also for immortalizing this wonderful, passionate music.