Biography - Chano Cadena
www.puroalice.com

The following is an interview conducted with Chano Cadena on March 29, 1992, while I studied at the University of Texas in Austin. This interview was originally presented as a class project for my Texas Music elective class (incidently, the project made an A!) . omar

An Interview with Chano Cadena
March 29, 1992
Texas Music, the University of Texas at Austin

Where were you born?
Chano: I was born on October 31, 1937, in Palito Blanco, TX on a ranch, a community muy chiquito (very small) 14 miles south of Alice, TX

How old were you when you had your first instrument?
Chano: Oh, I was about 10 years old. I was bought a toy accordion with 10 buttons and I began to play. Later my father bought me an Italian made accordion for about $80

About what years were these?
the 1950's

What made you become interested in music? Where your parents an influence?
No, my father didn't play any instruments but we listened to the radio

Who and what did you listen to on the radio?
On the radio, accordion music..... on a special program. There were no Spanish (radio) programs only one of one hour (length). These stations were from Laredo, Texas and later in Alice and Corpus Christi and Mexico on the border. That was what we listened to. But before I started playing we would listen to the phonograph--78's of Narcisco Martinez and Lydia Mendoza....with guitars and accordions, horns, clarinets, violins....so I started playing.... Mi Primer Tocada (my first audience) was at school on a Christmas program and I played Silent Night, Jingle Bells......

And this was in Palito Blanco?
Yes....but my classmates made me go up and play.... I didn't want to ....well nobody played...there were no musicians. It was something new for them....the accordion.

When did you start getting a conjunto together?
Oh, well....first my father used to take me around the ranches to play for his people becuase he was proud of me....and we would walk on foot through the night with the accordion in a pillow case. One day he took me on foot about 5 miles to see a man who played guitar so that he could accompany me.... it was the first time...and we came back walking...era los mas duro! After I played at school some of my school buddies who were about 15, would pick up me up so that they could sneak off to the cantinas and drink and I would play accordion. Sometimes older people would pick me up so I could play my accordion at the cantinas and they would pay me quarters, nickels and I would complete 3 or 4 dollars....that was my first money. Later I was taken to Alice so that I could be accompanied by Lorenzo Hernandez who was a guitarist. I went to Alice and came right back! (Not long ago, I had the opportunity to meet one of my father's elementary school teachers. He explained to me that my father was extremely shy and would duck his head under his desk when called upon!)
Later on I had to go to school in Alice and stayed there and we started to put together a group...and then we started playing on the radio.

Where would the conjunto play?
...parties and then dance halls for business in Alice and San Diego and all around. But we didn't have equipment. We didn't have sound....we had to rent a PA (system) and the PA was home made! We would pay 5 dollars each night... They (the PA equipment) were made out of speakers from pianolas (jukeboxes) put in crates and covered with chicken wire!.... and we would have to reserver the equipment in advance because there were a lot of conjuntos playing at the time. There were lots of beginners like us but there were established people like Narcisco (Martinez), Tony De La Rosa, Paulino (Bernal), Los Tres Aces.... lots.. they came from the valley, from San Antonio to record in Alice..... that was the only place they recorded (at the time)

Who were some of the orquestas?
At the time around here the big time bands como Glenn Miller (in the big band style) but Mexicans, Chicano style... Beto Villa, Farro Flores and they had a big sound..... about 11 or 12 musicians. They had a piano and electric guitars, some had accordion, piano-accordion, 3 saxes, 3 trumpets, bass and this was for the people of high, uh, high (grins) high sosiegate ( high society.. his word play on society means to behave oneself!) After the big band orquestas like Glenn Miller, that kind of style came out orquesta like a conjunto orquesta and they played conjunto music and orquesta (music). Orquesta then was not the classic music, it was like conjunto music. In the 60's there came Los Dinos...oh.. lots of orquestas and then orquestas went down and conjunto went up when Paulino (Bernal) came out (and popularized conjunto). Now keyboard (Tejano) music (is prevalent) and that (laughs) is the last of the mohicans!

What was the style of 70's
Well, the style was a fast beat-pronto. It was still music for the conjunto and for most of the time played on a platform. There was not a lot of salones (dance halls) for the people that used to work on the cotton fields. They had the platforms and (they) would on the the floor..... Corridos... there wasn't many composers, here locally. But the people loved it.

Where did those corridos come from?
The real popular ones came from Mexico. There was one famous guy, Jose Alfredo Jimenez. His music was recorded in conjunto style. We used to record every song (of his) ... by the time the mariachi music came to the radio station in Alice, we would hear them on the radio from Mexico before they sent it to the radio stations. So, we recorded them fast with Marroquin (Armando Marroquin-one of the first conjunto-tejano recording pioneers) in two weeks we had the disc. There wer alot of corridos....very old....that were never recorded. So my brother, Ernesto "Teto" Cadena, had the talent, hobby of (collecting) canciones, cancioneras, discos (songs and records), so we had all the material. (My uncle Teto at one time played in my father's most popular lineups. My cousin in also named Ernesto and has also sang in the band)

Who were some of the conjuntos that were from Mexico?
Well, the popular ones heard in all the jukeboxes and radios was Alegres de Teran. They were two guys. They had accordion and bajo-sexto. They were the number one. But their music was for listening. It did not have a beat. But they played corridos and canciones. They were very famous and popular.

And this was in the 1950's?
Yeah, the late 50's ..... In the 70's and 80's when there was a lot of Mexicans living in Houston and the large cities that was where the business for conjunto (was) because alot of the people went to the dances and they would spend alot of money. The people would leave and not only the illegals but the migrants to go work the cherry in Michigan and the towns (such as) Cotulla, the Valley.... all the people would leave. They would board up their houses and leave with their little covered trailers full. And in those times the dances were slow. But when school would start you would see those trailers coming back (smiles) for the dances! So when they would go some musicians would follow up north. some woudl stay and pick cotton in Lubbock.

(Armando Marroquin and Ideal Records was one of the first and successful purveyors of Tejano Music. His home studio in Alice was at first the only recording outlet for much of South Texas. His efforts brought forward the commercial viability of Tejano Music and his impact on Tejano culture is tremendous. My father knew Marroquin for many, many years. I myself remember going to his studio made out of a house. My father's conjunto would often practice there long after the studio stopped recording. It was always mysterious to me---this old studio. Its history hung from the walls like molasses. He passed away a few years ago but his legacy remains and my father is living proof of that.)

You got to know Armando Marroquin?
Yeah, we started there. He didn't want us around at first because we were starting and he already had big bands...conjuntos (recording). We went over there to see and they would run us off because we were making noise but later, later on our first recording (with Marroquin) ...was a commercial for a store.... and the radio was very heavy (very popular). Early in the morning the programs would start.... and there was a lot of conjunto music (played) and a little bit of mariachi from Mexico... and lots of commercials, lots of commercials...... Marroquin had the only recording studio in South Texas. He had just a room with no insulation.

In his house?
Yeah....and one mic for 4 musicians and that it.

How much would you get paid for recording?
No pay! (laughs)....not with Marroquin. Marroquin, he would sell the tapes to other people. But we wanted to record every day. Later we went to Ideal in San Benito and they payed us $45 per recording......There were a lot of conjuntos. On the weekend there were lines of stationwagons with their trailers waiting for the other conjuntos to finish and only one engineer with Marroquin and he used to drink....by the time they finished he was drunk and the next morning they would listen to the recording and it would be no good!

Who were some of the conjuntos that would come record?
From the Valley mostly and San Antonio. From San Antonio came...(Los) Pavoreales, Guadalupanos, Valerio Longoria, lots of conjuntos. Even during the week they were there. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays....full house. Later Marroquin separated the drums with a screen made of wood so it would not interfere with the rest of the mics because everything was in the same room. The windows of the building would rattle with the sound and even when an airplane passed we had to stop (recording). That was in the late 1960's and 70's. He was the only studio then but many (conjuntos)....many dances but we made little money. They (dance halls) would charge about 35 cents for the women and 50 cents for the men. We would play all around. Mathis, Premont, Falfurrias, Freer (where incidently, he met my mother)...all around. Later on after we recorded we got to go far away and make a little bit of money.... Brownsville, San Antonio....later on when we were working professional there was still at the time a style of bolero's, romanticos and trios...... 3 voices... and there were night clubs of high style that didn't like conjuntos but our romantic style made it in these clubs.

Did you ever record in San Antonio?
Yes, we recorded at ZaZ Records and Sombrero and with Salome Guitierez of DLB Records. The sound proof walls were made from egg cartons and cardboard. The recording in Alice (Marroquin's studio) had cotton and burlap. He had the machine to cut the plates and then would send them to San Antonio to make records. It was a 2 track machine in one small room for everything.

Did Rock and Roll ever influence conjunto?
In the era of the 50's and Elvis Presley, the conjuntos wanted to play a little rock and roll. We had this guy that would comb his hair like Elivs and (wore) white shoes and would play the guitar and dance (he gyrates a bit with a grin)

Who was he?
Juan Sifuentes. He used to rock and roll. (Juan Sifuentes was a prolific composer and singer who was born in Alice, Texas. He played in my father's band early on. He died some years ago in a car accident. Although his talents were never give the recognition they deserved, his memory will never be forgotten)

Describe the late 70's and the oil boom
There were a lot of conjuntos and dances but there were not enough dance halls. All the people from Robstown (a town just outside of Corpus Christi with a large population of Mexican-Americans) came to rent La Villita (a famous dance hall in Alice) When school ended with graduations La Villita was booked all week except for Saturdays when they had cover charge dances. So we used to play 3 or 4 times a week there and the people were from Robstown....La Villita-very popular(La Villita was one of the premier dance halls in Alice. It was quite large and I remember going there many times when my father played. It had been closed for a considerable time but recently has reopened on a limited basis. In its heyday it saw virtually all of the biggest Tejano music groups play there at one time or another.) When they made it, it was a pation with walls, no roof and the stage was made likea horn-shape so the sound was king. Later on they added a roof and the sound went bad. During the cotton boom and on Saturdays the store Levines was the big store. All the people were buying and thats where we would buy our shirts of $2.99. Lots of of people shopping and then at night the dance. We would not drink at first. Later we would buy a little bottle for four and divide it. Later (laughing) a bottle for each one!

You not only played around Texas, you also went out of state
Yeah, our first trip out of stae, we went to Denver, Colorado and then we went to Hobbs, New Mexico, and then we went to Florida and we didn't go no more.

Were you received well in Florida?
Yes, but in that time there were many Cubans arriving and the style had changed and Tejano music wasn't heard as much. But we always found people from there (Texas) over there....everywhere...

When the first Spanish radio stations first appear?
Well, in the late 60's there was one Spanish station and it was all business. They would charge for dedications. Every dedication.... 1 dollar.. and there were a lot of commercials and they even had (music) when people died. They had this music. Once you hear the music you knew somebody had died. Religious songs for the dead. Every business had a theme song and a 10 minute program. The radio station was making a lot of money. There was only one. The station was from here and the operator was also the salesman. Mike Rios did it for 30 years, but that style finished. You had to pay for requests. The only thing (else) you could do was on a beer label write the dedication and send it in. On Mother's Day lots of dedications. It even ran 2 days and they would never finish the Mother's Day dedications. The operator did not want things out of order. Bawdy songs were not allowed, now...yes, they play anything. And there was no yells, whoops, or laughing (by the DJ) as there is today. It was business .....serious. It was very restricted by the government.....the FCC. There was a lot of discrimination in those times. They wouldn't give the Mexicano a chance until after they found out that money was being made with Mexican music.

When did television begin to be used?
Before the Domingo Pena show there began a program of one hour and then entered Domingo's show. (the Domingo Pena show was a popular Hispanic program that ran on Sunday mornings till noon. Domingo Pena was the charismatic host and he presented the latest Tejano groups and various other presentations. After his death the show continued under the name Domingo and with the same spirit that Mr. Pena brought to it.) You never heard conjunto play live on television (before these programs) and in those days you played live in the studio (today the show is mostly lip-synced) but the engineers would never adjust you right.

How is the music business right now?
Oh we are suffering from the economy but we are not creating new audience (for conjunto) because the young people are not looking for the accordion. There is a style of the young like Los Chamacos...they young bucks that play and make a show....they bounce and jump around but its a show not what they play but the show they put on. They jump and bounce around with the accordion thats the style of the young.

Who were some of the better acordionistas in your opinion?
The better (ones) were Valerio Longoria...he used to use a lot of finger (action)...and Paulino Bernal played the most modern. Tony De La Rosa had another style (he sings the style) exuberant, with the beat to dance. The style of Valerio was very fast. Tony slowed the tempo marked with the drums (he taps out a medium beat).

How many albums have you recorded?
Oh say 15 or 20. But now its changed. Now that everything is new (technology) it costs too much to make 45's..its all cassette. So the jukeboxes of the people with saloons.....if they don't have modern jukebox, they cannot find music on 45.

My father continues to play almost every weekend and has just recently recorded and released another album which is doing quite well.