Vicente Fernández’s Voice Returns on Tributo al Rey con Banda with Alejandro Fernández, Edén Muñoz and Banda El Recodo

The late Vicente Fernández is back in circulation, this time in a project built around Sinaloa banda’s biggest names. Tributo al Rey con Banda (Grandes Duetos Vol. 1) was unveiled on Wednesday, May 13 at Rancho Los Tres Potrillos in Guadalajara, the estate where Fernández lived and is now buried, and it gathers original recordings from the mariachi legend with new interpretations from regional Mexican heavyweights.

The album sits in an interesting place within Fernández’s catalog. He is still most closely associated with mariachi, but he also recorded with banda during his lifetime, and that part of the story tends to get flattened in the retelling of his legacy. His son Vicente Fernández Abarca, who executive produced the new release for Sony Music México, pushed back on the idea that his father looked down on the genre. “There’s a misconception about my father; people have said he didn’t like Sinaloa banda music, and that’s false,” he told Billboard Español. “He respected the genre, and the proof is that album in his discography and this tribute, which we wouldn’t have created if we knew he wouldn’t approve.”

Tributo al Rey con Banda arrives Thursday afternoon, May 14, and spans 12 tracks across digital platforms, CD and vinyl. It took a year and a half to assemble, from the song selection to the final rollout. Two songs had already been issued as singles: “El Rey,” with Alejandro Fernández, and “Mujeres Divinas,” with La Adictiva.

The roster reads like a regional Mexican cross-section assembled with clear intent. Alejandro Fernández appears on “El Rey,” Ángela Aguilar on “La Ley del Monte,” Edén Muñoz on “Lástima Que Seas Ajena,” Christian Nodal on “Estos Celos,” Banda El Recodo on “La Diferencia,” Banda Los Recoditos on “Volver, Volver,” Yuri on “Cuatro Vidas,” La Arrolladora Banda El Limón on “De Qué Manera Te Olvido,” Josi Cuen on “La Derrota,” El Fantasma on “El Palenque,” and Jorge Medina on “El Hijo del Pueblo.”

Fernández Abarca said the artists were given room to approach the material on their own terms. “We gave the artists complete freedom to interpret the songs in their own style. This allowed each artist’s essence to shine through on these iconic tracks,” he explained, adding that he authorized them to use the performance videos and to sing the songs live if they want. He also noted that the selection centered on singers who are both respected and successful in banda.

Yuri’s contribution came with a wrinkle. Fernández Abarca said his father had recorded the duet with her while he was alive, but she chose to re-record her voice for this release. That detail only underscores how carefully this project was handled, balancing archival material with present-tense interpretations rather than turning the album into a simple vault raid.

At the Rancho Los Tres Potrillos presentation, several of the collaborators spoke about the weight of the assignment. Edén Muñoz described it as an honor to be given room to make the tribute feel personal, saying he hopes listeners connect with both “Lástima Que Seas Ajena” and the full album. Poncho Lizárraga of Banda El Recodo called Vicente Fernández “an icon who left an indelible mark on all of us,” adding that recording “La Diferencia” felt “authentic, powerful, and full of emotion.”

Christian Nodal framed his appearance on “Estos Celos” as a long-held aspiration fulfilled in unusual circumstances. “Recording with Don Vicente Fernández was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life,” he said. “I dreamed of him listening to my music and eventually recording a song with me; it was such a big dream. To make it happen this way with ‘Estos Celos’ was truly special.”

Alejandro Fernández, meanwhile, put the family connection front and center. “Singing ‘El Rey’ has always been very special to me,” he said. “Today, I sing it with the man who taught me how to live it, my father, the great Vicente Fernández.”