Budweiser Celebrates The Vicente Fernandez 21-City U.S. Farewell Tour

USA - English

• Latin America - español

ST. LOUIS, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The "King of Rancheras," Vicente Fernandez, unites once again with the "King of Beers" as Budweiser presents his much-anticipated 21-city U.S. tour that kicks off this month.  Earlier this year the iconic singer announced that after a 45-year career entertaining audiences around the world, this will be his last tour.

In continuing its long tradition of supporting the Hispanic community, Budweiser, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation and Fernandez will partner for the third consecutive year in a philanthropic cause to benefit the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). Before each concert, a local Latino student will be presented with a university scholarship, with the winner getting to meet Fernandez backstage.

"It gives me great pleasure to team up with a friend like Budweiser that shares with me the same values and vision that help empower the Hispanic community – higher learning and education," Fernandez said. "Since our partnership in 2010, we have awarded 49 scholarships and contributed $200,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and we expect to raise a grand total of $300,000 and 23 more scholarships at the conclusion of our concert tour this year."

Since 1982, Budweiser has donated more than $24 million and helped award more than 20,000 scholarships to deserving Latino students through HSF, the nation's leading non-profit organization that supports Hispanic higher education.

"Thanks to this generosity and the support of HSF, these graduates are making our country better and stronger for all Americans today," said Frank Alvarez, president and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. "HSF salutes Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser for their long-term commitment to the Latino community."

The concert tour is produced by Ralph Hauser Promotions and kicked off May 11 in Ontario, Calif., with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, New York City and other major markets across the United States through November.  

"Budweiser's partnership with Vicente Fernandez goes beyond music," said Margarita Flores, vice president of community affairs for Anheuser-Busch and a member of the board of directors for HSF.  "We are thrilled to be able to award college scholarships to Latino students in every city we visit during Vicente's farewell tour."

In addition to the concert tour, Vicente Fernandez is appearing in Budweiser's Spanish-language marketing campaign, which includes outdoor, interactive and point-of-sale materials. Consumers also will have a chance to win concert tickets, autographed CDs and signed guitars through a national sweepstakes that will be available later this year to U.S. consumers 21 years of age and older (except in California) via Budweiser's Latino Facebook page.

Fernandez is a Grammy award-winner who has sold more than 50 million albums, appeared in numerous films and is considered by many a Mexican cultural treasure. Known as "El Rey," Fernandez has been Mexico's leading ranchera singer for more than 40 years and is revered and loved by many on both sides of the border. Vicente and his eldest son, Vicente Jr., recently released a new album titled, "Los 2 Vicentes."    

"Budweiser has always celebrated great music, and we raise a toast to Vicente Fernandez and all his fans," said Rob McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser. "Like Budweiser, he is beloved by generations of music fans in the United States, Mexico and around the world. We wish our friend Vicente the very best in his final U.S. concert tour."

To learn more about Budweiser, visit the Budweiser Latino page on Facebook at facebook.com/budweiserlatino.         

Budweiser presents the 2012 Vicente Fernandez music concert tour in the following cities:

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch