Tejano music star Little Joe tests positive for coronavirus
Tejano music star Little Joe Hernández announced to fans on Wednesday that he tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating in his Temple home.
“I followed all the guidelines,” he said in a video message on social media. “I wore a mask, washed my hands often, and kept my social distance. So this is just a reminder of how contagious this virus is.”
Hernández, 79, shared his gratitude to those concerned but asked for privacy while in isolation. His staff said that phone calls and text messages have begun overwhelming his office and personal phone. They want to reassure the public that the multiple Grammy winner would keep his loyal national fan base informed of his progress.
Supportive messages from across the country began flooding the artist’s social media channels and range from concerned fans sharing home remedies and doctor recommendations to offering to drop off groceries at the singer’s home. Some recounted memories of the star signing their albums while others listed favorite songs and concerts throughout his legendary career.
“(Little) Joe, we can’t lose you,” wrote fan Consuelo Jaime on Facebook. “Hope you get well. I’ll be praying for you always.”
Hernandez’ career spans more than 50 years and his latest live concert album “Better than Ever” was released this spring. Two biographies about the artist known as the “King of the Brown Sound” also recently published.
“No Llore Chingón! An American Story: The Life of Little Joe” by author Emma González recounts his upbringing as a migrant farm worker picking cotton, his activism during the Civil Rights movement and his stardom as a pioneer in the Tex-Mex sound. In “The Latinaires, La Familia, Little Joe y más,” by Ramón Hernández, decades of research culminate into a nearly 600-page book featuring everything from archival photographs to the artist’s family tree history and discography.
In his video message, Little Joe Hernández reminded his fans to get tested if they felt any symptoms of COVID-19, the disease linked to the coronavirus.
“We all have to protect one another,” he said. “Stay strong, keep the faith and we can all beat this thing together.”