Chicano / Tex-Mex recording artist José María De León Hernández — professionally known as Little Joe — was just announced as the National Endowment of the Arts organization that he will be the recipient of a 2023 National Heritage Fellowship.
The fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to masterful folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts, and represents the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
Over his 60-plus year career in entertainment, Little Joe has been described as the "King of the Brown Sound" for his pioneering work in the development of Tejano music, a mix of traditional norteño, country, blues and rock music styles. To this day, he continues to tour internationally and record new music.
"The NEA award was a wonderful and unexpected surprise for which I am profoundly humble and eternally grateful," Little Joe told GRAMMY.com in a statement. "I want to share it with all my peers and especially with those that are moreso deserving. A Texas-size thank you and boundless appreciation for the punctuation on my blessed journey.
"To the NEA Heritage Fellows and all those who made it possible," the singer of hits such as "Las Nubes" continued, "gracias, gracias, gracias."
Some of Little Joe's career highlights include earning four GRAMMYs and one Latin GRAMMY, receiving the NARAS Governors Award, being declared Texas State Artist of the Year, and a plethora of other honors.
The Recording Academy salutes the legendary Little Joe and congratulates him on this distinct honor!
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