If Music Be The Food Of Love, Play On.

Tejano music, a vibrant and soulful genre, has deep roots in the cultural tapestry of America, especially within the Latin community. This captivating genre has played an essential role in shaping the musical landscape of the southwestern United States and beyond. In my blog I will be delving into its history, exploring its origins, its pioneers, and its remarkable journey to mainstream prominence. Roots and Beginnings: Tejano Music in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries: Tejano music is the product of a rich cultural exchange that took place in the Mexican-American borderlands. As Spanish, Mexican, and European influences converged, a unique musical genre began to take shape. The fusion of Mexican folk music with European instruments and styles resulted in the distinctive sound we now know as Tejano. Two notable figures in the early development of Tejano music were Narciso Martínez and Lydia Mendoza (pictured above). Narciso  Martinez was the first successful conjunto artist to reco...

 I have written and could write countless pieces about the machismo in Mexican culture. As a first generation Mexican-American daughter, I know firsthand just how engrossed gender roles are within our culture. Not only could I list countless examples of how gender roles have personally affected me in my own home, but there are countless examples out in the world. Perhaps one of the biggest examples of how gender roles have influenced traditional Mexican music is in the concept of mariachis .  In Mexican culture, a mariachi is a small musical ensemble composed of a variety of mostly stringed instruments and whose players are historically composed of all men. The genre arose from the western regions of Mexico and can be traced as far back as the 18th century. Mariachi songs typically deal with themes of love, betrayal and machismo , a Spanish word which loosely translates to “strong or aggressive masculine pride.” Mariachi groups vary in size, but often consist of a violin sect...