One of several musically-gifted members of the Martínez family, Debbie Martínez (1959-2007) was said to have had too large a voice for any group act. She became a regional sensation during the 1970s for her musical talents, which she used to preserve and promote New Mexico’s musical culture at a time when few female musicians enjoyed the limelight. As the title suggests, the album Dios, Familia y Tierra (God, Family and Land) reflects the values that the Martínez family embraced with their musical talents. Debbie’s father, Roberto —who composed the opening track “Mi Tierra Norteña” (“My Northern Land”) —explains that the song is “about the beauty of Northern New Mexico,” to which he attributes his appreciation of God’s blessings early on in life.