Based in San Antonio, Texas, Los Texmaniacs is a Grammy Award-winning Smithsonian Folkways conjunto rock band. At the 2016 Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert, they were scheduled to perform with National Heritage Fellow Flaco Jiménez, who unfortunately had to cancel his travels to Washington, D.C. Los Texmaniacs played on in his stead, carrying on the same uniquely Texan blend of Mexican and American music traditions.

The song “México Americano,” popularized by Los Lobos, exemplifies the band’s—and the region’s—dual identity. You can hear it in the lyrics:

Por mi madre yo soy mexicano /// From my mother I am Mexican
Por destino soy americano /// By fortune I am American
Yo soy de la raza de oro /// I am from the race of gold
Yo soy méxico americano /// I am Mexican American

Yo te comprendo en inglés /// I understand you in English
También te hablo en castellano /// I will also speak to you in Spanish
Yo soy de la raza de oro /// I am from the race of gold
Yo soy méxico americano /// I am Mexican American

De Zacatecas a Minnesota /// From Zacatecas to Minnesota
De Tijuana a Nueva York /// From Tijuana to New York
Los dos países son mi tierra /// The two countries are my homeland
Los defiendo con honor /// I defend them with honor

Dos idiomas y dos países /// Two languages and two countries
Dos culturas tengo yo /// I have two cultures
En mi suerte tengo orgullo /// In my luck I have pride
Porque asi lo manda Dios /// Because that’s what God commands

Editing: Claudia Romano
Videography: John Wetmore, Shaun Weber, W.N. McNair, Caleb Hamilton, David Barnes
Translation: Cristina Díaz-Carerra