Los Pingüinos del Norte and Fred Zimmerle’s Trio San Antonio represent the traditional sound of conjuntos norteños, a genre of dance music common to northern Mexico and South Texas. The songs of Los Pingüinos del Norte (the penguins of the north) are primarily corridos—regional ballads that tell the stories of heroes, and offer pride and honor to a people lacking in affluence. North of the border, Fred Zimmerle’s Trio San Antonio performs rancheras, cancións, and polkas. His group was a pioneer of conjuntos norteños (Tex-Mex music), typified by the blend of the European accordion, the bajo sexto (12-string guitar), and duet singing. Liner notes include a history of conjuntos and the Spanish lyrics with English translations.

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