An official historic marker honoring First Lady of Tejano Lydia Mendoza was unveiled at her gravesite on Saturday. Originally approved in 2016, the marker was dedicated in a ceremony that took place on what would have been Mendoza’s 103rd birthday.
Known as “La Alondra de la Frontera” (or “The Lark of the Border”), Mendoza’s career spanned over 50 years, bookended by two seminal recordings: “Mal Hombre,” the 1934 song that launched her to stardom, and the 2001 release of her legendary 1982 performance in Berkeley, CA, “La Alondra de la Frontera – Live!”
A master of the 12-string guitar with a compelling voice that only improved with age, Mendoza sang at President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration, was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 1999 and was inducted into the Texas Women, Tejano Music and Conjunto Music halls of fame.
According to the Express-News, the dedication ceremony at San Fernando Cemetery No. 2 was attended by more than 100 people, including family, local officials and plenty of devoted fans. It was followed by a birthday celebration at El Rinconcito de Esperanza, hosted by Mendoza’s family and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.
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This article appears in May 22 – Jun 4, 2019.
