Amanda Sanchez Rodriguez

Alteña since: 2025

Instruments: Violin, vocals

Amanda Fact: Amanda loves cooking and spending time with her two pugs (Bili and Chops).

Amanda Sanchez Rodriguez was born in San Antonio, Texas, and is a first-generation Mexican-American. Her father and family are from Lázaro Cárdenas, Nazas, Durango. Amanda began her musical journey singing at church and at Market Square at just 7 years old. Before long, she started learning to play the violin and bass in her middle school orchestra program and joined her older brother’s blues band at 12 years old.

She graduated from John Jay High School, where she participated in Mariachi, Jazz Band, Choir, and Band. She then attended Texas State University, where she was a part of Mariachi Nueva Generación, Salsa del Rio, and the Texas State Chorale.

Amanda has been a member of several musical groups in the San Antonio area, giving her the opportunity to share the stage with artists such as Yolanda Del Rio, Rubén Ramos, Santiago Jiménez, Pedro Fernández, La Sonora Dinamita, and many more. She has performed at SXSW, the Frost Bank Center, Luminaria, Muertos Fest, and even the Hollywood Bowl!

She graduated from Texas A&M-San Antonio with a Bachelor’s Degree in Bilingual Education and is also certified to teach Music to grades K–12. Amanda has taught in Hays CISD, Edgewood ISD, and San Antonio ISD.

She is the founder and director of Sonora Hechicera, an all-female cumbia band in San Antonio, as well as the owner of her own landscaping company, Raíces Lawncare and Landscape, which she runs alongside her father. Amanda is also the bassist for the local powerhouse cumbia band Volcán, where she met their lead guitarist and her now-husband, Jacob. She looks forward to many more wonderful experiences and musical growth as a part of Mariachi Las Alteñas.