José Alfredo Jiménez (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse alˈfɾeðo xiˈmenes]; January 19, 1926 – November 23, 1973) was a Mexican singer-songwriter of rancheras,whose songs are considered an integral part of Mexico's musical heritage.

Jiménez was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato. According to the singer Miguel Aceves Mejía, he did not play an instrument and did not even know the Spanish word for "waltz" or what "keys" his songs were in.^[1] Nonetheless, he composed more than 1,000 songs. Among the most famous are "Me Equivoqué Contigo", "Ella", "Paloma querida", "Tú y la mentira", "Media vuelta", "El Rey", "Sin Sangre en las Venas", "El jinete", "Si nos Dejan", "Amanecí en tus Brazos", "Llegando a ti", "Tu recuerdo y yo", El Hijo del Pueblo", "Cuando el Destino", "El caballo blanco", "Llegó Borracho el Borracho" and "Que te vaya bonito", as well as "Camino de Guanajuato", where he sang about his home state of Guanajuato.

In addition to his own recordings, many of his songs have been recorded by renowned artists from around the Spanish-speaking world, most notably by the following artists: Miguel Aceves Mejía, Antonio Aguilar, Luis Aguilar, Lola Beltrán, Vikki Carr, Gualberto Castro, Rocío Dúrcal, Alejandro Fernández, Pedro Fernández, Vicente Fernández, Los Relámpagos Del Norte con Cornelio Reyna y Ramón Ayala, Los Tigres del Norte, Manolo García, Little Joe Hernández & The Latinaires, Julio Iglesias, Pedro Infante, the Mexican rock group Maná, Luis Miguel, Jorge Negrete, Sunny Ozuna & The Sunliners, María Dolores Pradera, Javier Solís, and Chavela Vargas. In addition, Joaquín Sabina paid homage to Jiménez with his song, "Por el Bulevar de los Sueños Rotos" ("On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams"). The country artist Luke Tan recorded a disc of his favorite Jiménez songs in Spanish, including some English translations.

Like many of his contemporary stars, such as Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, and Javier Solís, Jiménez died young. He was only forty-seven years old when he died in Mexico City, of complications resulting from cirrhosis of the liver.

One of his last appearances on Mexican television occurred in 1973, just months prior to his death, where he introduced his last song, Gracias, accompanied by his wife, singer Alicia Juarez. It was his way of thanking the public for all of the affection they had shown him throughout his career as one of the most prolific and highly regarded composers and singers Mexico has ever produced.

Studio albums[edit]

• 15 Exitos Inolvidables De (1983) RCA Records
• 12 Exitos De Oro (1988) RCA Records
• Lo Esencial (2008) RCA/Lecacy Recordings

Selected filmography[edit]

• Here Comes Martin Corona (1952)