As a person who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, going to dances and listening to the various artists that played the difference between a Norteno and Tejano conjunto were small, if any. There was not much of a difference between Los Relampagos del Norte and Tony de La Rosa.
While there is a lot of similarity between norteno and tejano music, both of which originated and evolved along the Mexico-Texas border, tejano music is properly the music that evolved among the Mexican population in South and Central Texas. As a rule, tejano music has a more modern sound, adding musical influences from cumbia, rock, and blues. In more recent times, the addition of disco and hip-hop elements has given tejano music a more modern and funky sound.
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As the Tejano sound started changing, I quit listening to it as much, preferring the oldies. When Selena was killed, and I saw some people crying at work, they told me why; I wondered who this Selena was. It turns out that I have a niece who is named after Selena. I found out that Salena lived in the neighborhood where I grew up (Molina).
One of the most famous Norteno group is the Tigres del Norte, their story is now showing in Prime Video.
Today, I chose a Norteno group that I saw in the Chronicle. The band will be performing at the Mardi Gras in Galveston.