San Angelo's Musical Diversity Spans Genres, From Mariachi to Classical
When San Angelo brothers JoJo‚ Ringo and Henry Garza – collectively known as the Texican rock and roll band Los Lonely Boys – won a Grammy Award for their No. 1 single “Heaven” in 2005‚ the world learned something San Angelo residents have known for a long time: This city is ripe with musical talent.
From the San Angelo Symphony to local bands like The Funky Munky and the Mariachi Golden Angels‚ it’s clear even to newcomers that music adds a lot of spice to life in San Angelo.
The Funky Munky is a nine-member band headed up by San Angelo Police Chief Tim Vasquez; it was voted San Angelo’s favorite live band in 2007 by readers of the San Angelo Standard-Times. The band plays a mix of Motown‚ disco‚ soul and funk‚ and performs regularly at the Oasis and the Little River Club‚ as well as private parties and weddings.
“A couple years ago‚ I mentioned starting a band to a couple of close friends‚ and they thought I was crazy‚” says Vasquez‚ the band’s drummer. “Later they said‚ ‘This could be fun‚’ and now we have a solid band that’s been together over two years. We usually have sell-out crowds.”
For Vasquez‚ music is a venue to release the stress of his job in law enforcement.
“It’s lighthearted‚ so I don’t have to concentrate on the seriousness of my job‚” he says. “We rehearse one night a week and play a couple times a month. It’s not about making money – we’re just having fun.”
A completely different sound greets patrons at El Mejor‚ a Mexican restaurant on Bryant Boulevard. The Mariachi Golden Angels – or Mariachi Angeles Dorados – entertain every Friday night. The group of six teenage musicians has been playing together for three years.
“They get a really good crowd because they play two hours‚ and one hour is live on a local radio station‚” says Araceli Hernandez‚ who has three sons in the band and serves as its director. “A lot of people show up during the hour they’re on the radio.”
The group dresses in traditional mariachi charro costumes and wide-brimmed hats.
“To buy their first outfits‚ we did fundraisers and played for tips to save up money‚” Hernandez says. “Now the band has two different outfits.”
The Mariachi Golden Angels started after one of Hernandez’s sons enrolled in a mariachi class.
“I told him‚ ‘You have to learn about mariachi because that’s our heritage‚’ ” Hernandez recalls. “Every song tells a story. The band has turned out to be very good – they perform at weddings‚ parties‚ quinceañeras and at church.”
Classical-music lovers aren’t neglected in San Angelo‚ either; the San Angelo Symphony performs a full schedule of concerts‚ but classical music is not the only offering.
“We bring Grammy Award-winning artists‚ Tony Award-winning Broadway singers and world-class musicians to San Angelo‚” says Jennifer Odom‚ symphony executive director.
The symphony’s season runs October though April and features four classical concerts‚ two pops concerts and an international young-artist competition. One of the symphony’s most anticipated events‚ however‚ is its free July Pops Concert held annually on July 3 outdoors at the Bill Aylor Memorial River Stage.
“It’s the third-largest patriotic celebration in Texas‚ and we usually have a crowd of 35‚000 people‚” Odom says. “There are fireworks‚ a military flyover and a march-in by troops with the U.S. flag. And the Fort Concho cannons help the symphony perform the ‘1812 Overture.’ ”
In the mood for more? Fort Concho hosts its own series of summer Camp fire Concerts with western/cowboy music. For more information‚ visit www.fortconcho.com.
