Salvador Mendoza Peña is a retired oil field worker and former high school custodian who lives in Bakersfield, California. Originally from El Chamisal, in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, Salvador’s life and music reflect a deep connection to his hometown and the values instilled in him through family, labor, and tradition.

Throughout his working life, Salvador held physically demanding jobs, first in the petroleum industry and later in education. Now retired, he dedicates time to composing corridos and songs—a passion that began years ago. His earliest songwriting was sparked by emotional events, such as the death of singer Selena Quintanilla, after which he began writing both corridos and songs of tribute.

One of his most meaningful works is a corrido titled “Canción a Mi Tierra,” a musical homage to El Chamisal. Through this piece, he celebrates the place where he was born and raised, evoking the joy, pride, and longing that come from remembering one’s roots. For Salvador, memory and music are inseparable; he sees songwriting as a deeply personal act of remembrance, guided by the belief that recordar es vivir (to remember is to live).

His love for norteño and ranchera music, and his passion for dance and celebration, inspired him to choose the corrido as a form for telling his story. He admires artists like Los Alegres de Terán, Los Relámpagos del Norte, Los Tigres del Norte, and Los Cadetes de Linares, who helped shape the sound and values of the genre.

Though retired from manual labor, Salvador continues to compose corridos and songs that speak not only of place, but also of love, family, and the everyday joys and hardships that shape a life. His music is not driven by commercial success, but by a desire to express what lives in the heart and weighs on the mind—an offering rooted in sincerity, memory, and emotional truth.