Leonel Mendoza, virtuoso on the arpa grande—“big harp”— and leader of the group Los Originarios del Plan, speaks of his life, his culture, his music, and his three musical compañeros. Their music, rooted in centuries of tradition in the agricultural hotlands of Michoacán state in western Mexico, is much in demand among Michoacán communities in the U.S., especially in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Los Originarios del Plan are one of the West Coast's best kept musical secrets. The group plays rousing, exuberant music with centuries of roots in western Mexico. The style has thrived in diasporic communities of agricultural workers and music fans in California and Washington. From backyard family gatherings to the stage at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the group provides an essential sonic link to the homeland of these groups of immigrants. On ¡Puritito Michoacán! they perform corridos, sones planecos, canciones rancheras, and more from their vast repertoire of traditionals and standards.