Celebrating over a century of existence is something worth bragging about. The Mariachi Vargas band from Tecatitlán, Mexico, which began its career in 1897 and is a benchmark for Mexican popular music throughout the world, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. The special date will come with a new album and a tour around the world.

Carlos Martínez, the musical director of the group, explained to EFE: "We are very happy to travel to various corners of the world with the 125th Anniversary Commemorative Tour, and we are preparing our new album production, which will be released next May."

The tour will begin on May 27 at the Moore Theater in Seattle, and will continue around the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia until mid-2023.

Mariachi songs were born around 1630 as a means of expression for the rural populations of Mexico, and have a deep connection with the customs and traditions of peasants. Mariachi Vargas is one of the most iconic groups of this style. Founded by Gaspar Vargas López, an illiterate peasant, the group took its music to local squares and festivals in neighboring towns, and were initially rejected by the aristocracy.

Its history includes six generations of musicians, who've kept alive its musical legacy to present day. From those initial performances, the group went on to produce modern music videos, like the ones that accompanied the main hits off their latest album Cuando el mariachi suena, el mundo canta.
 

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The title of the group's next album is still unknown, but in March, they will release the single “Sin Ella.” Recently, the group also released “Enamórame otra vez.” With so much history behind the group, it is difficult to make an exact count of its extensive discography. Martínez specified that "we have already recorded more than 100 original productions by Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlán, and dozens more with famous performers of various genres."

Many of the albums were recorded during the golden age of Mexican cinema, accompanying names such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Javier Solís, Amalia Mendoza, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Lola Bletrán and Lucha Villa.

Recently, they also recorded the songs “México en la piel” and “México por siempre” with Luis Miguel, something that “fills us with pride and is a great responsibility”, according to Martínez.

In total, their melodies have accompanied more than 200 films alongside great names in Mexican and Latin American cinema. According to its musical director, the success and continuity of the collective are due to the dedication and talent of the six generations of musicians who formed it.

Currently, the mariachi is made up of 14 musicians, who come from various regions of the country. For Martínez, "the commitment of this sixth generation is to do our best and keep traveling the world with the Mexican flag so that our musical history continues forever."