Tejano Music

Tejano music as a distinct style began to emerge around the 1930s and 1940s along the border of Mexico and Texas, developed by the Tejanos, a people and culture which descends from the Hispanic settlers from before Texas was a US state. Tejano music is typically performed in small groups and stylistically is defined by a combination of Mexican Music and Northern American Music influences, originally developing primarily from Norteño and incorporating rhythms from European dances like Polkas and waltzes. By the 1950s and 1960s, the genre was also heavily influenced by the growing styles of Country, Rhythm & Blues, and Rock & Roll. Tejano music saw its peak popularity and commercial success in the 1990s, led by Latin Pop singer and "Queen of Tejano music" Selena, but has maintained regional popularity in the decades since. Early Tejano groups typically took the form of the conjunto tejano, based on Mexican Folk Music conjunto ensembles, featuring the button accordion, bajo sexto, electric bass, and drum kit. This setup is augmented in the Tejano orquesta with keyboards and a brass section, whereas the 'modern' style ensemble sticks primarily to a guitar/bass/drums/synthesizer setup found in American popular music like Rock. However, even these modern groups will often replace synthesizer with accordion to emphasize their Mexican folk roots.