February 17, 1940: Vicente Fernández
Huentitán el Alto, Jalisco

I’m a day late again. I also know that Chente isn’t a Chicano. Still, like Juan Gabriel, I can’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate his birthday and note his status a cultural icon for many Chicanos, even the pochos.

How many of us have felt a little more connected to the motherland after hearing Chente’s rendition of “Volver, Volver” or “El Rey”? I know I have. I came to this music through the most mainstream of channels: Chente and Linda Ronstadt. Still, it inspired pride, especially as I learned that some of his most popular songs were written by my paisano, José Alfredo Jiménez.

He may not be the best singer of rancheras, but he’s definitely done his part to keep the music alive and attracting new fans.

Below, I’ve posted one of my favorite songs. What’s your favorite Chente song? Any great memories of seeing him live in concert?

Vicente Fernández: De Que Manera te Olvido

February 3, 1959: The Day the Music Died

From Wikipedia:

On February 3, 1959 a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll musicians: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song “American Pie”.

February 3 marks a big loss for rock n’ roll and American music in general, it’s different for Chicanos as there were few of us out in the mainstream. We’ve all seen La Bamba and know the story of Ritchie Valens’ short-live music career.

To commemorate Ritchie Valens’ passing I suggest one of the following activities:

1. Watch La Bamba on DVD
2. Throw your laundry in the air and yell “Ritchieeeeeee!” in anguish.
3. Play some of Valens’ hits, like Come On Let’s Go (original version, not the Los Lobos covers)
4. Call your love and sing We Belong Together for him/her
5. Get a tattoo of a flying guitar

Rest in peace, Ritchie!

Zack de la Rocha backed up by Ollin at UCLA (October 30, 2009)

Zacarías “Zack” Manuel de la Rocha
January 12, 1970
Long Beach, California

Zack doesn’t need an introduction here nor do I need to list the reasons why he’d be on a post about Chicano history. Right? I mean, the guy wrote “People of the Sun.”

Zack and Rage Against the Machine did a lot to raise awareness about the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas in 1994. Everything can change on a New Year’s day…

Alejandro has several posts about RATM’s music and it’s meaning in his own life. He wrote about the one RATM concert I ever attended at the DNC in 2000:

It was [August] of 2000 and the Democratic National Convention was being held at the famed Staples Center, in Los Angeles, Ca. On the other side of the fence, Rage Against The Machine was scheduled to perform a free show that evening, and before you knew it, over 250,000 people had gathered to proclaim their right to say whatever the fuck was on their minds. I was one of them. Those previous shows were about to culminate into one giant “this is it” at the DNC, and it was to that night to which I traced my confidence and energy. [The Music that Made me Dance]

I also recommend PearMama’s slew of RATM-related posts.

I think I might re-watch Battle of Mexico City. It’s been a while. Some of the issues Zack touches on, such as the student movement in Mexico City, may feel outdated 10 years later, but he also touches on the ejidos and the background for the EZLN uprising. It’s also a reminder that the struggle for autonomy is continuous and fought locally too.

Juan Gabriel (born Alberto Aguilera Valadez)
January 7, 1950

Yes. I know I’m a day late in recognizing Juan Gabriel’s 60th birthday.

But it’s been a busy first week back at school, job 1 and job 2 and it’s going to be a busy quarter overall. Enough excuses, back to Juanga.

Wasn’t he born in Mexico? What does he have to do with Chicanos?

Yes, he was born in Paracuaro, Michoacán. And plenty. Five simple reasons:

1. Though he was born in Michoacán, we all know he made a name for himself singing in the bars of Ciudad Juárez on the border. In fact, he’s always been somewhat on the border in both the literal and figurative sense. He seamlessly goes from pop to rancheras to disco to ballads. He’s coy about his sexuality, but it’s clear that he presents a different image of the stereotypical Mexican man and entertainer.
2. He wrote Amor Eterno, the song we all sing when we lay our loved ones to rest.
3. In 1980, he starred in Del Otro Lado del Puente a film about a young immigrant student trying to pay for school by singing.
4. He stood up to the man, well BMG, and didn’t record any music from 1986-1994 due to a copyright dispute.
5. Do you really need a reason? Juanga is one of those sacred Mexican icons, kind of like Vicente Fernández or la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Name your own reason. Why do you love Juanga? What’s your favorite song(s)? What about interpretation of a song written by Juanga?
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