Viva Tejano

For twenty-five years, La Primera Dama del Tejano was happy to leave the music behind. When she returned to performing last year, an arena of fans was still waiting.

The singer and archivist talks about forging a new path in tejano music while working to preserve its past.

Sunny Sauceda—"a rocker trapped in an accordion player's body"—talks about switching genres after forty years in tejano music.

The tejano music legend, who came up as a child star touring with her father, talks about building community around conjunto and taking the music around the world.

The San Antonio congressman talks about how nineties tejano helped him stay connected to home, and why recognizing Latino musicians is a matter of national importance.

The Grammy-winning bajo sexto player on playing with the Texas Tornados and carrying on conjunto music for the next generation. Audio subscribers to Texas Monthly can listen to episodes one week early, and get access to...

The “Queen of the Accordion” on her many musical influences, and why she’s never been interested in playing music the way other people want.

This week’s guest, El Dusty, helped lead the revival and reinvention of cumbia, most notably with his 2018 debut album, Cumbia City. His influences, and his collaborators, are all over the map, but he’s fiercely loyal...

Phanie Diaz and Jenn Alva, co-founders of the beloved San Antonio indie band, on the rewards of staying together and tejano music’s power to transcend language barriers. Audio subscribers to Texas Monthly can listen to...

The tejano music superstar on hit-making after the nineties golden age, the “profound sadness” in the industry after Selena’s death, and how he found his singing voice again. Audio subscribers to Texas Monthly can...

Latin music is ascending in the U.S., and, in some surprising ways, much of the story behind the trend begins in Texas. On Viva Tejano , host J.B. Sauceda talks with legendary tejano artists and well-known tejano music...