Irma Serrano

Irma Serrano first made a name for herself as a singer, becoming one of the most popular ranchera performers of the 1960s. She became famous for her trademark roaring style which earned her the nickname "La Tigresa de la Canción Ranchera" (The Tigress of Ranchera Music). She was born in central Chiapas to Santiago Serrano Ruiz, a local journalist and poet of Mayan ancestry, and María Castro Domínguez, a wealthy woman of Spanish descent who owned 17 haciendas. Raised in the lap of luxury, in her youth she decided to become a performer against her parents' wishes and journeyed to Mexico City, where she made her film debut in Santo vs. the Zombies (1962). Soon after, she signed with CBS Records and began her highly successful singing career. She rose to national prominence with hit songs such as "El puente roto", "Tierra mala", and "La Martina", which reached Billboard's Top Ten list for Mexico. With her fame as Mexico's new rising folk singer, she appeared in musical guest roles in films such as Gabino Barrera (1965), Antonio Aguilar, and El zurdo (1965), with Rodolfo de Anda.