Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, located 118 miles (188 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles (98 km) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The English name Tucson derives from the Spanish name of the city, Tucsón , which was borrowed from the O'odham name Cuk Ṣon (pronounced , roughly "chook shown"), meaning "at the base of the black ", a reference to an adjacent volcanic mountain. Tucson is sometimes referred to as "The Old Pueblo".

Mariachi music is popular and influential in Tucson, and the city is home to a large number of Mariachi musicians and singers. Mariachi is celebrated annually at the Tucson International Mariachi Conference. There is also a yearly Norteño Festival in the enclave city of South Tucson.

Tucson is also home to a small but committed independent music scene, nearly all of which is concentrated in the city's downtown area. Neko Case, The Bled, Calexico, Doo Rag, Giant Sand, North and Flagrante Delicto are among the prominent musical artists based in Tucson. Local performers also receive some airplay (and occasionally play live) on the community radio station KXCI. The Tucson Area Music Awards, or TAMMIES, are an annual event.