Jesús Rodríguez de Híjar
Violinist / Musical Arranger / Director
Born on the 10th
of July, 1929 in Tequila, Jalisco, Jesús Rodríguez de Híjar began his career
as a young child, immersed in Mexican music. He learned to play several
folkloric instruments from the mariachi tradition; first the guitar, then
the vihuela (small indigenous 5-string acoustic guitar), the guitarrón
(indigenous portable acoustic bass), and finally the violin.
Known by his nickname, "La Hormiga" ("The Ant"), his career as a
integral member of notable mariachi groups
began in Mexico City, joining such mariachi groups as the Mariachi Perla de
Occidente and the Mariachi Nacional. Around 1956, he joined the
world-famous Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, where he was the director and
musical arranger for over 20 years. He retired from the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan in 1976. That same year, the maestro Rodríguez de Híjar
formed his own show mariachi, the Mariachi de América de Jesús
Rodríguez de Híjar.
They were introduced in 1976 on the international TV show, “Siempre en Domingo,” by
its host, Raúl Velásco, as the “best mariachi in the Américas.”
Rodríguez de Híjar’s
original compositions include: "Quisiera olvidarme de tí" (a bolero,
recorded by Lola Beltrán, and later by Alejandro Fernández), as well as instrumental
compositions like "La gruta," "La fuente" and "La
hormiga." His musical arrangements
have been recorded by a literal who’s who of mariachi and ranchera artists, including:
"Paloma Negra" (Lola Beltrán); "Jamás Me Cansaré
De Tí" (Rocío Durcal); "Una Lagrima"(Estela Nuñez); "Las Llaves De Mi Alma" (Vicente Fernández);
"Llorarás" (Javier Solís); "Que Seas Feliz" (Pedro Infante);
"Cielo Rojo" (Miguel Aceves Mejía); "Mujeres Divinas" (Humberto Cabañas); "Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" (Juan Gabriel);
"Maquina 501" (Francisco "Charro" Avitia); and
"La Araña" (Alicia Juárez).
The internationally renowned Mariachi de América de
Jesús Rodríguez de Híjar performs primarily as a show group. The
mariachi also specializes in providing and performing arrangements with
some of the world's best symphonies; and, as with the mariachi
tradition, is very capable of accompanying solo singers, having backed up some of the genre’s most legendary performers, including: Julio Iglesias,
Vicky Carr, Luis Miguel, Lucero, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Lucha Villa, Roberto
Carlos, José José, Vicente Fernández, José Luis Rodríguez, Raphael, Soledad
Bravo, Rocío Durcal, Rocío Jurado, Aída Cuevas, El Charro Avitia, Alejandro
Fernández, Antonio Aguilar, Libertad Lamarque, Pedro Fernández, Manuel
Jerena, Lola Beltrán, Pepé Aguilar, María de Lourdes, and the Hermanas
Huerta.
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