Born in 1958 in Mexicali, Mexico, Jose Hernandez leads the globally renowned Mariachi Sol de Mexico. Raised in a household devoted to music, he and his five brothers absorbed the regional folk traditions, mariachi included, from childhood onward. Stage appearances with his siblings began when Hernandez was only three. Musical activity persisted through his early adult years, culminating in 1981 when he formed and began directing his own ensemble, Mariachi Sol de Mexico. Since the 1960s, Hernandez and the group have served as primary ambassadors for mariachi, classical, world, and regional Mexican repertoire before worldwide audiences. They have filled major halls such as the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City and the Hollywood Bowl in programs with José Feliciano, Bryan Adams, and Rocio Dúrcal, becoming the most prominent performers in the field. A reputation for elite collaborative work developed through partnerships with Linda Ronstadt, Lola Beltrán, and Selena, among others. Beyond mariachi boundaries, the ensemble opened pathways into classical circuits as the only group of its kind to tour those venues, a development Hernandez advanced by establishing the Mariachi Sol de Mexico Symphony Orchestra in the early 1990s for performances at the country’s foremost concert spaces. He ranks among mariachi’s most prominent advocates, directing L.A.’s Viva Mariachi Festival and founding the Mariachi Heritage Society to help youth engage with their musical and cultural roots. The ensemble’s performances appear on soundtracks for films including Sea Biscuit, Don Juan de Marco, and American Me.
