HispanicBusiness

MIAMI, Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Billboard and Telemundo announced the recipients of the special awards for the 2012 Billboard Mexican Music Awards Presented by State Farm(TM) to air live on Thursday, October 18 at 7pm/6c from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Leading Mariachi singer Pepe Aguilar will be awarded the Billboard "Musical Legacy Award," in recognition of a lengthy and rich musical trajectory that has influenced the genre and its artists; Norteno music institution Los Huracanes del Norte will be bestowed the Billboard "Voice Award," given to an artist or musical group with a distinctive and unique on and off-stage persona; while legendary Banda music group La Original Banda El Limon de Salvador Lizarraga will be presented with the "Excellence Award," awarded by Telemundo to an innovative artist or musical group that has remained at the forefront of music, changing, renewing and transforming themselves in order to remain successful. Tickets to the awards show, which will be hosted by telenovela stars Marlene Favela, Rafael Amaya and TV personality Daniel Sarcos, are on sale through Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. For a complete list of finalists and announcements, visit www.Telemundo.com/premiosbillboard, the official website for the 2012 Billboard Mexican Music Awards presented by State Farm(TM). Fans can also follow the awards show via Facebook.com/PremiosBillboardTelemundo and, Twitter.com/@LatinBillboardsand #BillboardsMX.

Pepe Aguilar will be awarded the "Musical Legacy Award" in recognition of a lengthy and rich musical trajectory that has influenced the genre and its artists. Pepe Aguilar was recently immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a star on the most famous boulevard in the world, located next to the one honoring his father Antonio Aguilar. Originally from Zacatecas, Mexico, Pepe Aguilar debuted as a singer at the age of three in Madison Square Garden in New York in one of his father's shows. With global sales exceeding 12 million copies of his albums, he is considered a Latin music star by critics. Twelve of his songs have reached the top 10 of the Billboard charts, opening doors and resulting in new radio opportunities for other singers of mariachi music. As composer and producer he has worked with important figures, from Mexican traditional music singers like Lupita D'Alessio, Edith Marquez and Guadalupe Pineda to Spanish and English singing rock stars like Julieta Venegas, Ely Guerra and Taboo (of The Black Eyed Peas). Pepe Aguilar is a social media maverick and has established an online talent contest titled "El Rey del Mariachi" in search of the next representative of the traditional Mexican music, to be promoted on his own record label with the goal of developing traditional Mexican music new talent.

The Norteno music institution Los Huracanes del Norte will be bestowed the "Voice Award", given to an artist or musical group with a distinctive and unique on and off-stage persona. Los Huracanes del Norte is one of the most emblematic Norteno musical acts. They are creators of a unique style that has given them international fame, with a prolific production of 63 albums, and participation in 21 feature films. Gold and Platinum albums, various trophies, recognitions by government entities, medals, and many awards not only for their music, but also for their great humanitarian work have been bestowed to this legendary musical group. Born in Yahualica, Jalisco and raised in Tangancicuaro, Michoacan, the brothers Heraclio, Jesus and Francisco Garcia Ruvalcaba migrated to the United States with their parents in search of a better life. Part of their childhood and youth were spent in the strenuous work of agriculture. Peasants by day and bohemians by night, in 1969 they formed the group Los Cuatro del Norte, animating the town celebrations, and performing covers of the Nortena music idols of the time. Years and many music hits later, the group returns to California, to celebrate 40 years of a lustrous career.