José is a master of mariachi music. He is a Grammy Award-winning world-renowned musician, composer and music educator. He is founder of the world-famous Mariachi Sol de MéxicoÒ and America’s first all-female professional mariachi ensemble Mariachi Reyna de Los AngelesÒ. José also directs the mariachi ensemble that plays at L.A. Rams football games.
José’s family hails from the town of Miraflores, Jalisco. He is a seven-generation mariachi whose family has played music professionally since the 1700s when Mexico was New Spain. Arguably, the longest surviving family that continues to play mariachi music. José’s daughter Crystal is following the family tradition, joining her father’s ensemble Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles.
José and his Mariachi Sol de México received their latest Latin GrammyÒ nomination in 2022 for their latest album 40 Aniversario Embajadores del Mariachi (40th Anniversary Mariachi Ambassadors), a collection of classic rancheras from the ensemble’s 40-year artistic trajectory. José counts with 9 Latin Grammy Nominations and the ensemble has 7. In addition, José’s symphonic arrangements and orchestrations have led his mariachi to share the stage with Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and Jalisco Symphony. He recently traveled to The Czech Republic where the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra debuted his composition “Rapsodia para un mariachi,” and most recently, he composed his “Jarabe Sinfónico No. 1 para orquesta.” José and his Mariachi Sol de México have played sold out concerts from Madison Square Garden to Beijing, China and Pyongyang, North Korea. They have been invited to play for five U.S. Presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama.
The versatility of Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández led to amazing collaborations with legacy artists such as The Beach Boys, Willie Nelson, Selena, Linda Ronstadt, Juan Gabriel, Jose Feliciano, Vicente Fernández and a record-breaking tour with superstar Luis Miguel. The ensemble has also provided music for the soundtracks for such films as Old Gringo, American Me, Rango, Glory Road, Sea Biscuit, Don Juan de Marco, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and many more.
José’s passion is to bring mariachi music to audiences around the world. In addition to leading two mariachi ensembles, he works tirelessly to inspire and empower the next generation of musicians. José helped to create mariachi music programs in schools in 37 states and his Mariachi Academy curriculum is taught in 22 schools throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties in Southern California. José also founded The José Hernández' Mariachi Nationals and Summer InstituteÒ, a mariachi music Summer intensive and competition which brings together some of the country’s top student mariachi ensembles and the Mariachi Heritage Society, which teaches mariachi music and folk dancing to new generations. José is also the Musical Director of several prestigious mariachi festivals. In 2021, José received the Cesar Chavez Legacy of Service Award, recognized for his work elevating the perception of mariachi music throughout the world and inspiring future generations of mariachi students via educational scholarships, gifting instruments and via his Mariachi Heritage Society.
José continues to advance the art of mariachi music with daring new compositions and arrangements. His 18th CD, 40 Aniversario Embajadores del Mariachi was nominated for a Latin Grammy. He has composed, arranged and provided music for all eighteen Mariachi Sol de México albums. He sings and plays trumpet, violin, guitarrón, and vihuela. He has performed in prestigious venues around the world and recorded with some of the most respected names in the music industry.
José’s musical inspirations are rich and diverse, ranging from Agustín Lara to José Alfredo Jiménez. One of José’s proudest achievements is establishing the Sol de México® symphony orchestra, bringing this powerful and vibrant sound to mariachi lovers around the world.
