San Antonio
Güero Polkas reflects back on 48 years
Story and photos by Ramón Hernández
He was born Ricardo “Richard or Rick” Peña Dávila, but is best known as Güero Polkas and the Wolfman Jack of Tejano radio.
His radio experience dates back to 1954 when he was nine years old and used to cue the vinyl records for his father, Manuel Sr., who would follow Willie Nelson’s 3-5 p.m. shift at KBOP in Pleasanton, Texas.
“I would pull my ear close to the record so I could hear and cue the records without earphones. Many years later Willie remembered me as that little kid at KBOP radio since my dad relieved him, then Willie would come back to do the 7 p.m. to sunset shift,” Rick said.
Tejano Music Lost Two More Greats in June
Story and photos by Ramón Hernández
Both musicians that passed on were not household names because both fell under the umbrella of the bandleaders.
For years, countless of bands covered “Juana La Cubana,” “La Gallina,” “El Colesterol” plus countless other hits, but each time we heard them on the radio or announced at clubs, it was always the latest hit by Fito Olivares y La Pura Sabrosura. However, the voice that interpreted all these hits was Fito’s brother and drummer, Javier Olivares.
Hollywood Comes to the Alamo City
The Greater San Antonio Film Council is on a mission and that’s to bring Hollywood’s big bucks to the Alamo City.
In 1927, a silent movie about World War I was filmed in San Antonio and it went on to become the first film to win the Academy Award for “Best Picture.” Furthermore, “Wings,” also won a second Academy Award for “Engineering Effects.”
Since then, numerous other movies have been produced in the River City, but not as many as Austin. The state’s Capitol City boosts a total of four film organizations and this accounts why Austin gets so many of Tinseltown’s productions.
The Best Guitarist in Mexico Calls San Antonio Home
Gilberto Puente and his twin brother Raúl rank among the “Worldwide Top Five” in the history of Mexico’s Golden Age of Trios.
Aside from that honor, maestro Rubén Fuentes, a classically trained musician, who has served as composer, producer, arranger and director with Mariachi Vargas, the “World’s Best Mariachi” for sixty years, named Gilberto “La Guitarra de México.”
In addition, Gilberto is also considered one of the best requinto players in the world. That’s quite an accomplishment for someone born in the small town of Anahuac, Nuevo León, México and whose parents, Gilberto Puente Quintero and mother Amparo González had no musical inclination.
Julio César Chávez Jr. Wins Fight Plus a New Fan
Julio César Chávez Jr. won a fourteen-round fight over Irishman John Duddy on Saturday, June 26th by unanimous decision.
The fight took place at the Alamodome and a day prior to the event, Jorge Alejandro called to invite me to come out and take some pictures of him and Patsy Torres during an afternoon sound check. Alejandro was selected to sing the Mexican National Anthem and Patsy was chosen to sing the American Anthem.
Joe Posada Proves Staying Power with Five Tejano Music Awards Nominations
Classy, saxy and innovative are some adjectives that have used to describe Joe Posada, a mainstay in this city’s music scene for 44 years.
This year, the ageless, versatile musician is nominated “Best Entertainer,” “Best Vocalist” and also in the “Best Vocal Duo” category for “Si Cocinas Como Caminas” in duet with Leslie Lugo. That same tune also received a “Song of the Year” nod and “Hermosa Soñadora,” recorded in a rhythmic boss nova groove was nominated the “Crossover Song” category. Both tunes are both off Posada’s “Point of View” compact disc, his latest release.
San Antonio is Going Hollywood
“Lights! Camera! Action!
Those three little words spell money for the Alamo City’s economic and they spell magic for local movie goers who will enjoy seeing their city as the background for two films that will be shot in San Antonio in July.
These two new film productions are “Los Tres Pérez” and “Taking it.”
The first is a remake of “Los Tres García,” a Mexican musical starring Pedro Infante, Jorge Abel Salazar, Víctor Manuel Mendoza and Marga López.
López is the U.S. born blonde cutie that goes to Mexico and because of her beauty is wooed by the three García brothers whose screen grandmother is played by Sara García.
The Gateway to San Antonio’s Westside
East Los Angeles has an arch as one enters the “Brown Kingdom” via Whittier Boulevard. Here the barrio is spelled “varrio” and arch is a symbol of pride for the unincorporated area of East LA, which welcomes its residents as well as visitors.
Now the Gateway to San Antonio’s Westside via West Commerce Street too has its own impressive entrance. And it’s all due thanks to the late Manuel “Manny” Diosdado Castillo Jr., David Blancas, several businesses, corporations, organization and countless other participants.