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. Recording with best Mariachis of the time: Nati Cano’s Los Camperos, Mariachi Vargas, Mariachi Sol de Mexico, and Mariachi Los Galleros, Linda released the influential album Canciones de mi Padre, which is still one of the biggest selling non-English language album in American recording history. In 2022, the Library of Congress National Recording Preservation Board added this album to its annual list of 25 significant recordings showcasing the range and diversity of American recorded sound heritage. She followed the album up with Más Canciones and Frenesí, which continued her exploration of Mexican musical heritage while further popularizing mariachi music in the U.S. and Mexico.