Now, it is socially acceptable for a male mariachi, even in Mexico, to have his daughters continue their family's inheritance.

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)

Women have been participating in the long-standing all-male mariachi  tradition since 1940

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)

Now, women have dominated all the traditional mariachi instruments

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)

With such a strong history of female participation in the mariachi tradition, it is no wonder that we have passed generations of tests with flying colors.

I was given six months to learn their standard show repertoire and learned it in three!

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)

Many tried to convince me that I was making a wrong choice: why would a classically trained violinists want to perform "bar" music? I must be crazy!

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)

Soon, I became section leader, meaning that the other <male> violinists had to follow me!

(A Look at the History of Women in Mariachi Music
by Laura Sobrino)