Women have been performing as full fledged mariachi musicians since at least the early 1950’s.

Female participation in this traditionally male genre began in Mexico City with three all-female touring ensembles: Mariachi Las Coronelas, Mariachi Las Adelitas and Mariachi Michoacano (which later became Mariachi Estrellas de México). Historical information and biographies of these women and groups are located in the section "Pioneras Mexicanas."

In   the   United   States,     the    female    mariachi 
movement   began  in  the  opposite way: individual
female musicians joined traditionally all-male groups. In the U.S., the earliest known female mariachi musician was documented to have been performing by March of 1971. For the next decade, several pioneers began performing mariachi music in that same area. Two all-female mariachi groups were formed by 1976: Mariachi Las Generalas in Los Angeles, California and Mariachi Estrellas de Topeka in Topeka, Kansas.  Historical information and biographies of these women and groups are located in the section "U.S. Pioneers."

Since the 1980s, the growing female mariachi movement has been observable in the increasing number of female musicians and all-female groups performing around the world, as well as in the dramatic increase in female-to-male ratios at mariachi conferences held internationally. For the purpose of documenting this phenomenon, we are registering individual female mariachi musicians and all-female groups. You can register yourself or your group in the Survey section. Finally, we ask your cooperation in keeping us informed by submitting references to female mariachi current events and other related academic and/or non-academic materials.