Influential Mexican norteño outfit Los Cadetes De Linares began as a duo in 1960, and their poetic, accordion-driven corridos have become standards of the genre. ∙ The popularity of their debut single, 1974’s “Los Dos Amigos,” was a surprise to the band’s small regional label, which had to spring into action after its initial run of 200 records quickly sold out. ∙ In the decades since the 1977 heartbreaker “Dos Coronas a Mi Madre” was first released, the song has become an unofficial anthem for mourning the dead in Mexico. ∙ The 1982 hit “Adiós Amigo del Alma” was written by accordionist Lupe Tijerina to honor frontman and founder Homero Guerrero after his untimely death in a car accident. ∙ Some of their most famous songs—such as “Pistoleros Famosos” and “Las Tres Tumbas”—inspired the titles and storylines of gunslinger films that also featured cameos by the band.