Keepers of the Flame
Artists like Los Lobos, Linda Ronstadt, and Los Tigres Del Norte have had crossover appeal while remaining rooted in the Mexican American experience. Whether immigrants or the sons and daughters of immigrants, these California-based artists have sung about their own experiences while honoring the older musical traditions of their musical forebears.
Los Lobos
Los Lobos is a Grammy-award winning rock band from East Los Angeles that has made a career of blending the Mexican vernacular music with rock and roll, blues, country, soul, and other influences.
Linda Ronstadt
With a career starting in the late 1960s, Linda Ronstadt had already become a hugely successful pop and rock singer when she brought mariachi music to American mainstream consciousness in 1987.
Los Tigres del Norte
The world’s most popular conjunto norteño, Los Tigres del Norte have roots in Mexico but started their recording career with Discos Fama in San Jose.
These keepers of the flame have achieved extraordinary success by fusing traditional and contemporary influences. In the process, they have become household names both within and beyond the Mexican American community. Their music continues to resonate with audiences today, even as a new crop of California-based artists rises to put their own stamp on Mexican American music.
