Malena Cano

Malena Cano (also known as La Perla)[1] is a ranchero music and mariachi singer from the El Paso, Texas area.[2] She is known for her work in both music and stage.

Charra outfits, hat and other items on display belonging to Malena Cano.

Biography

Cano began performing after winning a singing contest at a local radio station when she was ten years old.[1] Later, at age 16, she would perform at the El Paso Coliseum and other Southwest venues.[1] She sang with a band called The Ruby's and the lead singer of the group, Eugene Anchondo, gave her the nickname, "La Perla."[3] Her work, singing with mariachis was groundbreaking, as women were traditionally excluded from that kind of music.[3] Cano's singing has been popular in the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez areas.[4] Around 1979, she began acting on stage.[3] In addition to stage-work, she also incorporates history from the region into her performances.[5][6] One of her shows, Viva Mexico, explores Mexican history through song and dance.[7]

In 1990, Cano was nominated in the first Hispanic Music Awards Show.[8] She was awarded "Best Local Female Mariachi Vocalist" in 1993.[9] One of her performance costumes was donated to the Smithsonian and she has been "enshrined" in the National Archives as a Texas folk artist.[10][11] In 2017, she was inducted into the El Paso Women's Hall of Fame.[12]

References
  1. "La Perla to be Featured in College Chicana Night". El Paso Herald-Post. 25 January 1975. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Ranchero Artist Will Sing At Chamizal". El Paso Times. 11 January 1991. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Ross, Phil (13 August 1985). "'La Perla' Forges Path for Women". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com. and "La Perla". El Paso Times. 13 August 1985. p. 3D. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Salgado, Rosanna (7 January 1994). "'La Perla' Malena Cano Began Singing Career at Birth". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Sparacio, Sarah (19 March 1999). "Local Singer Gives Concert About Mexico". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "'Viva Mexico'". El Paso Times. 3 October 1999. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Romero, Cynthia (9 September 2008). "'Mexico' Musical Gives Audience History Lesson". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Hispanic Music Gets Spotlight in Awards". El Paso Times. 6 April 1990. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Cortes, Maria (1 March 1993). "Hispanic Music Awards". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Ballew, Coco (28 March 1997). "'La Perla' Presents 6th Performance of 'Mexicanisimo'". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2018-08-19 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Renteria, Ramon (21 September 2014). "Adios to 'Viva Mexico'". El Paso Times.
  12. Williams, Drake (24 July 2018). "Malena Cano honored in ASC mariachi exhibit". Tejano Tribune. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
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