Corazón Abierto: Mexican American Voices in Texas Music

by Kathleen A. Hudson

Overview

Corazón Abierto: Mexican American Voices in Texas Music provides a wide view of the myriad contributions Mexican American artists have made to music in Texas and the United States. Based on interviews with longtime stalwarts of Mexican American music—Flaco Jiménez, Tish Hinojosa, Ernie Durawa, Rosie Flores, and others—and also conversations with newer voices like Lesly Reynaga, Marisa Rose Mejia, Josh Baca, and many more, Kathleen Hudson allows the musicians to tell their own stories in a unique and personal way. As the artists reveal in their free-ranging discussions with Hudson, their influences go far beyond traditionally Mexican genres like conjunto, norteño, and Tejano to extend into rock, jazz, country-western, zydeco, and many other styles.

Hudson’s survey also includes essays, poetry, and other creative works by Dagoberto Gilb, Sandra Cisneros, and others, but the core of the book consists of what she describes as “a collection of voices from different locations in Texas. . . . Some represent voices from the edge, while others give us a view from the center.” Weaving together a tapestry that combines “family, borders, creativity, music, food, and community,” the book presents an image as varied and difficult to define as the musicians themselves. By sharing the artists’ accounts of their influences, their experiences, their family stories, and their musical and cultural journeys, Corazón Abierto reminds us that borders can be gateways, that differences enrich, rather than isolate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623499020
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	03/29/2022
Series:	John and Robin Dickson Series in Texas Music, sponsored by the Center for Texas Music History, Texas State University
Pages:	258
Sales rank:	449,015
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

KATHLEEN HUDSON, founding director of the Texas Music Heritage Foundation in Kerrville, is also the author of Telling Stories, Writing Songs: An Album of Texas Songwriters and Women in Texas Music: Stories and Songs.

Table of Contents

A gallery of images follows page 118.

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Part 1 Oral Histories

Music for Fun Armando Arciniega 7

Sharing His Passion Josh Baca 11

Bringing the Groove Max Baca 25

Rich in Spirit Rick del Castillo 32

It Takes the Drummer Ernie Durawa 51

A Woman of Family Linda Escobar 56

A Rockabilly Filly Rosie Flores 65

Talking Texas Music in Mexico David Garza 72

Mariachi Voice Henry Gomez 75

A Man with a Mission Michael Guerra 78

Talking on a Border Ruben Gutierrez 84

Dreaming in the Labyrinth Tish Hinojosa 88

A Lifetime of Achievement Flaco Jiménez 97

His Father's Son Gill Jiménez 103

He Carries His Father Santiago Jiménez Jr. 109

Mariachis Make Me Cry Stephanie Urbina Jones 114

The Family River of Jordan Esteban Jordan III 119

Time to Dance Billy Mata 128

The Joy of Youth Marisa Rose Mejia 138

You Can Call Me "Boxcar Fritz" Fritz Morquecho 140

Grace on the Bass Junior Pruneda 143

Jazzmanian Devil Tomás Ramirez 146

It's My World Roberto Sontoya Ramos 152

A Fount of Knowledge and Experience Gilbert Reyes 160

Dual Passport Lesly Reynaga 164

Speaking the Truth Frank Rodarte 176

Subtlety Speaking Volumes Florin Sanchez 181

The Heartbeat Is the Drumbeat Poncho Sanchez 189

Educating and Entertaining with Grace and Style Patsy Torres 195

Life on the Line Ruben V 207

The Gypsy Dances and Sings Patricia Vonne 210

Part 2 Other Voices

Flaco's Eightieth Birthday: A Reminder of How Far Conjunto Can Go Hector Saldaña 223

Freddy Fender's Voice Could Console and Comfort Christine Granados 226

Pride Dagoberto Gilb 228

Having Recently Escaped from the Maws of a Deathly Life, but Not That Life Sentence Called Death, I Am Ready to Begin the Year Anew Sandra Cisneros 231

Manuel's Destiny Stephanie Urbina Jones 232

Conclusion 235

Index 237

Editorial Reviews

"Kathleen Hudson has given us a cabinet of wonders. Corazón Abierto richly completes her foundational trilogy about Texas music and musicians. These lively interviews and Hudson's incisive commentary will be the starting point for generations of scholars, a delight for fans of music, and an inspiration to artists young and old."—David Gaines, author of In Dylan Town: A Fan's Life

David Gaines

CorazónAbierto is Kathleen Hudson’s third volume in her series incorporating Texas musicians’ voices into the conversation of Texas music history. The book is both informative and gratifying. Drawing from the land, the family, the heart, and the music, all of the voices within the book convey connection, inspiration, passion, spirit, and self-identity.  In essence, CorazónAbierto contextualizes complex Texas musicians through the lens of Mexican heritage.”—Curtis Peoples, archivist for the Crossroads of Music Archive in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University

Curtis Peoples

Mi querencia es este rancho—(“Rancho Alegre”). Querencia means sanctuary, and the songs these musicians write, sing, and perpetuate are little monuments to their holy ground: dedicated to remembrance that connects us to all eternity. The next time you hear this music, promise you’ll open your heart to spontaneity and dance, whether in a dusty cow pen or a crowded restaurant. And when the joy or heartbreak is too much to contain, cry or shout a grito, con ganas, sin miedo—with enthusiasm, without fear—and buy this book to thank the sources of the music.”—Becky Crouch Patterson, artist and author of Hondo, My Father and The Ranch That Was Us

Becky Crouch Patterson