The Mexican corrido is a narrative and musical tradition that has served as a powerful storytelling vehicle for centuries. While its roots can go as far back as the 1400s when various cancioneros were first published in Spain, the corrido gained popularity during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), narrating epic ballads of heroism, resistance, and betrayal. As a form of poetry set to music, corridos recount real-life events, historical figures, and social struggles.  

Beyond entertainment, corridos have long functioned as a means of resistance and cultural preservation. For Mexican migrants and their children, these ballads can help to bridge the past with present-day struggles. Corridos tell historical and personal stories of dangers crossing the border, the challenges of assimilation, and the resilience of those who sought a better way of living.

In the San Joaquin Valley, corridos have played a vital role in the lives of migrant farmworkers, many of who arrived during the Bracero Programand later waves of immigration. Corridos captured the hardships of agricultural labor, discrimination, and the struggle for labor rights led by figures like César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. This musical genre gave a voice to those whose struggles were often ignored by mainstream media. Today, corridos can still be heard in the fields and communities of the SJV, reminding new generations of their heritage and the sacrifices made to build a better life.  

This story page features the voices and songs of Félix Arreola, Rodolfo Carranza, Gregoria Sánchez, Adrián Sánchez Ávila, Heriberto Jaime Pérez, John B. Soto, Martín Rodríguez, Nelly Paredes, Salvador Mendoza, and Salvador Urista Alvarado—artists whose compositions give shape to stories of migration, memory, labor, and hope in the San Joaquin Valley.