Ernestine Romero posthumously inducted into New Mexico Music Hall of Fame

Late singer Ernestine Romero was posthumously inducted as part of the 2021 class of the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Lobo Lounge and Event Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday night (Nov. 27).

During the induction for Romero, a special video message was shared from legendary singer “El Gato Negro” Ruben Ramos.

“I want to congratulate Ernestine Romero on a well-deserved award, being inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame,” said Ramos. “She toured for 20 years and presented herself all over the United States and I feel honored when she asked me to record a song with her and now I want to return the honor and put her song on my brand new CD coming out.”

The duet, “Gracias Señor,” was the title track from Romero’s ninth album, which won CD of the Year at the New Mexico Hispano Music Awards in 2016.

Romero was one of seven inductees of the 2021 class for the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame. Other inductees included singer and guitarist Bo Diddley, Country singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey, jazz musician Arlen Asher, cellist Hillary Smith, the Cordova Family, and classical trombonist Dave Adams, who will receive the Michael E. Sanchez Lifetime Achievement Award.

Romero was tragically murdered by her estranged husband on July 11, 2019. The singer celebrated her 20th year in the music industry that year with the release of her 10th album Mi Tesoro. She was a multiple New Mexico Hispano Music Awards winner and was awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 and a posthumous Tejano Music Award for Best Collaboration in 2020 for “Estupida,” the duet with Tejano Hall of Famer Shelly Lares.

The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization established in 2003 to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development, and perpetuation of New Mexico music.

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