Vicente Fernández, Mexican musical icon, is dead at 81

Vicente Fernández, one of Mexico's most famous and revered musicians, died Sunday morning at a hospital in Jalisco state, he family said. He was 81. Fernández had been hospitalized since a bad fall in August, and his health took a turn for the worse in recent months.

Fernández, called "Chente" by fans, is known as one of the great performers of Mexico's traditional ranchera music. His hits include "El Rey," "Lástima Que Seas Ajena," and the wistful "Volver Volver," which was also popular with homesick Mexicans living in the U.S. and elsewhere outside their country. Fernández gave his farewell performance to 85,000 fans from around the world at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium in in April 2016.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.