Skip to Content
Obituary

L.A.’s Streets Are Crying: Taqueros and Stars Pay Tribute to Vicente Fernandez, 1940-2021

The world is in mourning for the most legendary of legendary Mexican balladeers this morning. Vicente Fernandez died in a Guadalajara hospital at the age of 81 yesterday, leading to unbroken sonic memorials over airwaves, social media, car stereos, households, and even the sidewalks (including at Chente's star on Hollywood Boulevard where an angry white man shot a few holes through a cactus from a nearby apartment, possibly over the song-filled gathering). While words can't express the enormity of Fernandez's influence on Mexico and the world of entertainment at large, we've rounded up some of our favorite online tributes to El Charro de Huentitàn to help get the tears and tequila flowing.

Lalo Alcaraz

Big Boy, host of Big Boy's Neighborhood

Homies artist David Gonzales

Actress Salma Hayek

BReal: "Rest in peace to a king." Rapper Conejo and actor Mario Lopez both posted the same shot, with Lopez writing: "Vicente Fernandez was not just a singer. He was the voice of a culture who filled the households of many of us who grew up listening to his songs. His music is the soundtrack to a ton of memories. .. Damn, I’m sad… "

Boxer Oscar de la Hoya

DodgersLakers

Comedian George Lopez

Actor Michael Peña

TACO Madness winner Villas Tacos

Chef Wes Avila

Comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias

L.A. Times columnist Gustavo Arellano

DJ Zackey Force Funk

Rigo Jimenez, owner of Downtown's Eastern Projects Gallery

Foos Gone Wild

More Mexican Stuff via Cartoonistas

U.S. President Joe Biden

You can see many, many, many more brilliant and poignant Instagram tributes to Vicente Fernandez right here at the hashtag #chente.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

The Best Tacos Around SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome

There’s no shortage of taco shops, trucks, and stands in and around the Inglewood area. You can drive down Hawthorne Blvd between Century Blvd and the 105 freeway to find a dozen taco trucks competing for your attention.

June 18, 2026

Free Flautas and Fresh Beer: L.A. TACO’s Watch Party at Homage Brewing Today at 5 PM!

Indie journalism, some of the best cold beers in L.A., free crispy taquitos for members, and Mexico (or South Korea!) kicking the ball around for 90 minutes. Winner gets first place. Come cheer your team on.

June 18, 2026

I Went Inside Tanlines, L.A.’s New Bikini Coffeeshop

Tanlines presents itself as something transgressive—a bikini coffee shop in an industrial corner of Los Angeles. But after a few hours inside, the novelty wears off and something much stranger emerges: It's just a neighborhood café.

June 18, 2026

Do Protests Actually Work?

According to this researcher, no.

June 18, 2026

Soccer Fans React to World Cup Controversies 

"These are things that I think that should be free, so we can all come together and remember we're all human,” a fan told L.A. TACO in attendance at a watch party event in Exposition Park.

Daily Memo: DHS Arrests Activists in Minneapolis As ICE Ramps Up Again Across Southern California

While the World Cup continues, please remember that many of the agents at the games are Federal Air Marshals, who are not tasked for immigration enforcement at the stadiums, they’re a part of Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response or VIPR, who are here as security against “potential acts of terrorism.” This also includes the U.S. Marshals who were also out there with marked vests.

June 17, 2026
See all posts