Raul Hernandez

Distinguished from the classical and operatic vocalist who shares the same name, this Raúl Hernández ranks among Mexico’s leading figures, celebrated above all for his long association with los Tigres del Norte, widely regarded as one of norteño’s most dynamic and historically significant ensembles, also identified as conjunto or Tex-Mex. The seasoned performer, who handles bass, guitar, and accordion, moves beyond norteño on his individual recordings of the 1990s and 2000s to incorporate banda, mariachi, and ranchera. Even so, it is norteño—the fusion of Mexican ranchera with the polka rhythms introduced by German immigrants to Texas—that first established his stature in the regional Mexican market.

Born in Mexico, Hernández entered music seriously in 1968 when he helped form los Tigres del Norte together with brothers Jorge Hernández on vocals and accordion and Hernán Hernández on electric bass, plus cousin Oscar Lara on drums. The quartet originated after their father, rancher D. Eduardo Hernández, suffered an accident that ended his ability to work, leading the young relatives to create the group in hopes of generating income for the family. At that moment none of the brothers had reached voting age; Jorge, the eldest, was only 14. The band later relocated to San Jose, CA, and the possibility that los Tigres del Norte would remain active into the 2000s probably never crossed their minds. Yet the ensemble proved one of norteño’s most durable and consequential acts, continuing strongly through the arrival of the twenty-first century.

Throughout its career los Tigres developed a reputation for direct, incisive, and hard-hitting songwriting. Addressing poverty, crime, drugs, and related topics, their lyrics have painted vivid pictures of the social realities confronting working-class Mexicans along the U.S./Mexico border, positioning the group as a norteño counterpart to the Clash, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, or Rubén Blades. Although frequently laced with humor, the words retain their edge and communicate their messages without sermonizing. In the process the powerhouse accumulated an extensive catalog, releasing at least 50 albums by the close of the 1990s, the majority issued on Fonovisa.

In 1996, the year that marked los Tigres del Norte’s twenty-eighth anniversary, Raúl Hernández chose to begin a solo career in order to investigate further musical directions. As a solo artist he retained his regional Mexican orientation, yet whereas los Tigres remain principally a norteño act, his independent releases have featured not only norteño but also banda, mariachi, and ranchero. Fonovisa released his debut solo album, Rancheras y con Banda, in 1996, and by the beginning of 2004 he had supplied seven solo albums to the Univision-affiliated label.