Viva Chente: Promoter, former arena marketing director recall Vicente Fernández’s Valley performances

Nano Ramirez has been bringing some of the biggest names in music to the Rio Grande Valley for 50 years, both as a promoter and as the owner of the popular former events center, La Villa Real.

In the 1970’s, back when performers toured in what were called “caravans,” Ramirez brought a then up-and-coming Mexican singer to McAllen for his first show in the Rio Grande Valley. That singer was Vicente Fernández.

He recalled booking Fernandez to perform at the McAllen Civic Center in 1978, along with Gerardo Reyes, Lucha Villa and Carlos Guzmán. They’re memories Ramirez shared Monday, one day after he learned of Fernández’s death, which came early Sunday morning in a hospital in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

“Back then, all the artists including Vicente Fernández, they were just starting out,” Ramirez said. “They were real nice, humble. You could take pictures with them. You could talk to them and have a normal conversation.”

Fernández would return to perform at La Villa Real in November 1996. It was a sold out show in a region that holds Fernández — known for his dazzling mariachi outfits and vocal range capable of crooning or belting out his classics, such as “Volver Volver” or “Por Tu Maldito Amor” — in the highest regard.

“I remember more when he came back two years later. It was in April of ’98,” Ramirez said. “I had just 30 days prior had Alejandro (Fernández) play La Villa Real on March 20. We were on his bus and he was reminiscing about how proud he was of his son performing. He said, ‘One of these days I’m going to be performing with my son onstage.’”

Ramirez said that the late singer was the most humble person he’d met. He described him as being soft spoken, but with a strong voice. He also said that he remembers Fernández’s love for tequila.

“At the same time, he could give some wisecracks,” Ramirez said. “From nowhere, he could come out with something funny. One thing I gotta say, for all those years — 40 years that I had the opportunity to bring him at these different times in his life, he was the same person. He never changed.”

Bertha Gonzalez was the marketing director when Fernández performed at the Payne Arena (Dodge Arena at the time) in 2009.

“There’s several concerts that kind of stand out for me when I was there, and I can tell you for sure that was one of them,” Gonzalez said. “It was just one of those concerts where the energy, the audience is 100% engaged. He was very loved in this area with our proximity to Mexico. It’s just one of those concerts that people remember, and it’s one of the most memorable of my time at the arena.”

Gonzalez said that Fernández was a timeless artist who transcended generations. She recalled the joy shared with her mother and her daughter at having the opportunity to see the ranchera legend affectionately referred to as “Chente” in concert.

“My mom is a huge fan of Vicente Fernández,” she said. “I grew up listening to his music. She was able to attend that concert with my daughter, and it was such a special moment for me. It had kind of a double purpose because for my mom, that was one of her lifelong dreams to see him in concert. And then me working there and being able to have him in the arena that I’m working at, it was just — on a personal level— magical because I was able to make that happen for my mom, and I know that so many people of all ages from the Valley feel the same way.”

Fernández’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans, celebrities and public figures from throughout the world, including President Joe Biden and the King of Country, George Strait.

Ramirez described Fernández’s death as the end of an era, similar to when other renowned artists such as Rocio Durcal, Selena and Juan Gabriel died.

“There will never be other artists like them,” Ramirez said. “There will never be another Vicente Fernández. There have been a lot of mariachi singers, but there’s only one king — one rey — and it’s Vicente.”