Raúl Hernández is a Mexican superstar who is best known for his many years with los Tigres del Norte, one of the most exciting and legendary bands in the history of norteño music. The veteran singer (who plays bass, guitar and accordion) does not perform norteño exclusively; on his solo projects of the '90s and 2000s, he has also explored other Mexican styles such as banda, mariachi, and ranchera. But norteño -- which fuses Mexican ranchera with the polka beat that German immigrants brought to Texas long ago -- is the style that put Hernández on the map and made him famous in the regional Mexican market. ~ Alex Henderson