Lydia Mendoza
Lydia Mendoza, born on May 21, 1916, in Houston, Texas, was a celebrated Mexican-American singer known for her significant contributions to music during the early to mid-20th century. Raised in a family of seven, she overcame challenges related to her father's disapproval of formal education with the support of her mother, who fostered her learning. Mendoza gained early fame through street performances with her family, known as El Cuarteto Carta Blanca, and later achieved solo success with her hit song "Mal hombre," recorded in the 1930s.
Throughout her career, she toured widely and recorded numerous popular songs, capturing the hearts of audiences across the United States and Latin America. Mendoza's influence extended beyond music; she performed at notable events, including the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, and received prestigious honors such as the National Medal of Arts in 1999. Despite facing personal hardships, including the loss of her first husband and a stroke later in life, her legacy as a voice for the working class and her impact on American folk music endures. Lydia Mendoza passed away on December 20, 2007, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage celebrated by many.
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Subject Terms
Lydia Mendoza
American singer
- Born: May 21, 1916
- Birthplace: Houston, Texas
- Died: December 20, 2007
- Place of death: San Antonio, Texas
Mendoza was a trailblazing star of Tejano and Norteño music. She played a twelve-string guitar and sang in a voice known for its distinctive mix of sultriness and strength. In the 1940’s, she began a career that stretched into the 2000’s.
Early Life
Lydia Mendoza (mehn-DOH-zah) was born on May 21, 1916, in Houston, Texas to Leonor Zamarripa Mendoza and Francisco Mendoza. She was the second oldest of seven children. Mendoza’s father was opposed to his daughters’ formal schooling, but her mother stepped in to teach them what she could, even purchasing school supplies for their use at home.
During the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, the Mendoza family collectively made a meager living, mainly through street performances. They performed under the name El Cuarteto Carta Blanca (the Carta Blanca Quartet) and performed throughout Texas’s Lower Rio Grande Valley.
It was also during this time that the Mendoza family joined the mass migration of agricultural workers who traveled north for work. They went as far north as Michigan, where the family gained fame among the other migrant workers for their musical talents.
By the end of the Great Depression, the Mendoza family had left Michigan and returned to Houston and eventually San Antonio. They continued to perform in various public squares.
Soon, Lydia Mendoza herself began entering and winning singing contests and even gained some early popularity with radio performances. In the 1930’s, Mendoza recorded her first solo song, “Mal hombre,” on RCA Victor’s Bluebird label. The song became a hit and her signature song.
Life’s Work
With the recording and ensuing popularity of “Mal hombre,” Mendoza was well on her way to becoming a star. Her subsequent recordings also became wildly popular. She toured as a solo singer but was accompanied by her family’s variety show. In 1937, they were able to gain acceptance outside of Mexico and Texas and were booked to perform in California for the first time.
In 1935, Mendoza married Juan Alvarado, and together they had three daughters: Lydia, Yolanda, and Maria Leonor. In the 1940’s, Mendoza found it difficult to tour because of gasoline rationing during World War II. Mendoza continued to record with her family’s variety show. During this time she released other popular recordings of “Celosa,” “Amor de madre,” “Pajarito herido,” “Al pie de tu reja,” “Besando la cruz,” “Joaquin Murrieta,” all of which became hits. In 1954, Mendoza’s mother died, ending the variety show’s long run.
Mendoza continued to tour in the United States, Mexico, and throughout Latin America. She also recorded with various companies. From the 1940’s through the 1960’s, she continued to perform in theaters and at festivals. That she also performed at the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife in Montreal and on university campuses attests to her broad appeal.
After the death of Juan in 1961, Mendoza married Fred Martínez in 1964. In 1977, she performed at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. In 1982, Mendoza, whose father had eschewed her formal education, was invited to be a guest lecturer at California State University at Fresno. She became one of the first recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Mendoza’s indefatigable pace was halted in 1987, when she suffered a stroke that left her incapacitated; however, her popularity never waned, particularly in her home state of Texas. In San Antonio she was inducted into the Conjunto Hall of Fame by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded her a National Medal of Arts, the highest national award given to performers. Mendoza died in San Antonio on December 20, 2007.
Significance
Mendoza’s many monikers reveal her effortless connection to the common person. The working class and poor appreciated the relatable singer’s talents and cheered her crossing over into a mainstream world that likewise recognized her musical genius. From her hometown to the White House, she received numerous awards and lasting popularity.
Bibliography
Broyles-González, Yolanda. Lydia Mendoza’s Life in Music: Norteño Tejano Legacies/La historia de Lydia Mendoza. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. An invaluable work based on extensive research into Mendoza’s family and music.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. “Ranchera music(s) and the Legendary Lydia Mendoza: Performing Social Location and Relations.” In Chicana Traditions: Continuity and Change, edited by Norma Elia Cantú and Olga Nájera-Ramírez. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2002. Scholarly examination of Mendoza’s music and its place in Latino culture.
Mendoza, Lydia, Chris Strachwitz, and James Nicolopulos. Lydia Mendoza: A Family Autobiography. Houston, Tex.: Arte Público Press, 1993. Autobiography based on a number of interviews with Mendoza and her family.