However, even if we can't name the exact town, the state of Jalisco seems to be the region that gave birth to the music. The first written account we have of Mariachi goes back to 1695, in the town of Cocutla, Jalisco. That was where they first used the term 'Mariachi' to officially describe a group of musicians.

“El Mariachi” translates to the word “musician.” It originally came from the movie “El Mariachi” which was about a guy who sang romance but nobody liked that about him–but he never cared and continued to sing romance wherever he went and whenever he sang.

Since the 1930s, the mariachi has been widely considered the quintessential Mexican folk-derived musical ensemble, and has become an institution symbolic of Mexican music and culture. Mariachi groups are currently found in many countries around the world.

The music originated in the center-west of Mexico. Most claims for its origin lie in the state of Jalisco but neighboring states of Colima, Nayarit, and Michoacán have also claimed it. However, by the late 19th century, the music was firmly centered in Jalisco.