From Mexico, ranchera vocalist Aida Cuevas

Known as “The Queen of Mariachi Music,” Aída Cuevas is a master of the mariachi song. Cuevas is the first female singer in the traditional mariachi genre ever to win Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. Over her long career, she has served as an ambassador of Mexican and Latin American music.

Through her voice, charisma and talent, Cuevas has forged one of the most distinguished careers in traditional Mexican and Latin music. Over her 50-year career, Cuevas has received multiple awards from presidents, kings, governments and prestigious institutions worldwide. With more than 40 albums to her credit, Cuevas has succeeded in a field traditionally dominated by men. For her current tour, titled “50 Years of Singing to Mexico,” Cuevas will perform in an SCP Special Concert on May 15 at Symphony Center.

Born in Mexico City, Cuevas began her career by singing in amateur contests at age 11. Her first national appearance occurred in 1975, at age 12, on the live radio program “El Taller XEW.” Just a year later, she was performing in Europe, thus beginning a series of performances across the Continent from a young age. Renowned Mexican composer Armando Manzanero produced her third album, “Cari Cari” (Fonovisa, 1979). For Cuevas, he wrote his first song in the mariachi style: “Te vas para tu casa” ("You’re Going Home").

Cuevas achieved another career milestone in 1982, when legendary artist and producer Juan Gabriel sought her out to record and produce a full album of his previously unreleased songs, “Aida Cuevas Sings the Best of Juan Gabriel,” 1983). That disc established her as “The Voice of Mexico.”

Also known as “The Greatest Exponent of Mexican Music,” Cuevas has brought her country’s traditional music to venerable stages around the world. With half a century of career and success, she has become a living legend and is considered the last great queen of a select group of exponents of the ranchera genre in Mexican history.

An artist of integrity who deeply loves her homeland, Cuevas wears the traditional charro outfit with respect and proudly sings from the heart. As simple and true as that, that’s Aída Cuevas.