Rancho Alegre

In this interview, recorded in August 2017, Baldomero Cuellar talks with Vicente "Chente" Alonzo, an Austin conjunto music legend with nearly 60 years in the business.

While he played bajo sexto with several different bands, he was most recognizable as the longtime second voice and bajista for El Montopolis Kid Johnny Degollado, with whom he began playing in 1957. Some of his final performances were with Chencho Flores y Su Conjunt...

Originally published in 2013.

In October 1998, Ruben Naranjo, the beloved legendary Conjunto accordionist and bandleader from Alice, Texas, passed away at age 53. For over 30 years, he traveled all over Texas and beyond with a simple but elegant brand of Conjunto that filled dancehalls and resonated with fans everywhere. 

For Rancho Alegre, this is a very special show. Not only is this the first of our Homenaje series, but it is sp...

Recorded in 2013 in Dimmitt, Texas. Things have changed considerably since this interview (read to the end for the update).

In 2013, Rancho Alegre headed out to the Texas panhandle on business. While we were out there, we thought we would touch base with one of the region's most popular groups: Los Arcos Hermanos Peña. We had already been all over the Valley, Houston, and Central Texas, and we wanted to know more about the scene ou...

Recorded in 2012 at Freddie Records Headquarters in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

Freddie Martinez, or simply Freddie, is one of the most influential men in Tejano music history. Since beginning his professional career in the 1950s, Martinez has seen both sides of the business. He built a record company from scratch in the 1970s, which became successful enough for him to retire from being a working musician. That company has managed to s...

Recorded in 2012 at Palo Alto College in San Antonio. After we got kicked out of Whataburger because they didn't want us to record there - seriously.

Much has been made of the decline of Tejano, and more than a few groups that made it big back in the 80s and 90s have either broken up quietly, faded into obscurity, limited their activity, melted down publicly, or have struggled to remain on the radar in a post-terrestrial radio worl...

Recorded in November 2012 at Cooter Brown's in San Antonio, Texas.

If you ask any Tejano music fan to list some of the most popular performers in the industry, Ram Herrera will be near the top of the list.

He hardly has to use his last name anymore, “Ram” is usually enough. He’s also known as the “Most Wanted Man” and the “Man of 1,000 Roses.”

After starting his career with David Lee Garza y Los Musicales over four decades ago, Her...

Recorded in November 2012 at the Garcia home in Pasadena, Texas.

When we recorded this interview, Crystal N Crew was one of the youngest groups in conjunto.  With all members under the age of 17, the family band from Pasadena included Crystal Garcia on bajo sexto, Jose Garcia on accordion, and Lily Garcia on drums. They’ve had a couple of bass players, including Anthony Diaz (included in this interview) and current bassist Isaiah T...

Recorded in 2012 at his home in East Austin.

For decades, Julian Limon Fernandez of Los Texas Wranglers has worked to keep Conjunto alive in Austin. Through various lineups, he and his band Los Texas Wranglers have played in all kinds of venues around Austin, rodeos, tardeadas, benefits, festivals, etc. 

A drummer and songwriter, Julian puts his heart and soul into his career as a musician and bandleader. Of the people we have inte...

Recorded in 2012 when Siggno was in Seguin, Texas, for a benefit for the Enriquez family, and graciously made some time to talk with us aboard their tour bus. 

When we recorded this interview, Siggno was the the hottest band in Tejano music. They were riding high on Tejano Music Awards successes, a Latin Grammy win, and their first collaborations with Elida Reyna. 

Despite all of the success and popularity, we found them to be a ha...

Recorded in 2012. 

As the traditional audience ages, everyone’s talking about how to get young people to listen to Conjunto and Tejano music. Kyle, Texas, has an answer with Conjunto Romo.

Meet Navor Romo…bassist, bandleader and vocalist. Together, he and his sons Cedrick (accordion/vocals), Noe (bajo sexto) and JJ (drums), are making their mark in Conjunto music. And, in the case of Noe and JJ, juggling high school at the same tim...

Recorded in October 2011 at the Gilberto Perez ranch in Mercedes, Texas.

This is a special interview. Recorded on our first interview road trip in the fall of 2011, we sat down with beloved Conjunto icon Gilberto Perez Sr. 

Gilberto and his wife Amelia welcomed us into their home and we talked about his life, career, and his camaraderie with fellow Conjunto greats of the golden age. Then we went into the little museum behind their ...

Recorded in 2011 and 2012.

Back in the 1980s, Jesse y Beto Duran y Los Aguilillas had a massive hit with El Soltero Apasionado, a waltz that took them all over Texas and was frequently requested (and graciously played) multiple times per show. With various rhythm sections, Jesse and Beto played together for 45 years before retiring in the mid-2000s due to health issues.

With Beto on bajo sexto and first voice, and Jesse on accordio...

Recorded in 2011 in Alice, Texas. 

During our interview tour of the Valley in October 2011, we stopped in Alice, Texas, and talked with Ruben Rivera, a former member of Ruben Naranjo y Los Gamblers and Los Nobles.

For several years, his own conjunto was called Ruben Rivera y R.A., but a change in personnel and direction in 2025 brought a new group: Loz Noblez de Ruben Rivera y Leonard Naranjo. 

Here's what we played: 

Mala Mujer - ...

Recorded in 2011 after a jamaica south of Austin.

Marcos Orozco is not just a pretty face in a pair of tight-fitting Wranglers. The singer-songwriter-producer-arranger has lent his signature romantic voice to some of Tejano music’s greatest hits.

Marcos began his career in the 1980s with groups Blackjack, Powerhouse, and the legendary Fabulosos 4. But it was his time as the lead singer for David Lee Garza y Los Musicales that prope...

Recorded in 2011, we caught up with the legend himself, Ramon Ayala, before a show here in Austin, Texas. 

At the time, Ramon didn't really do interviews, so we were really fortunate to get him to talk with us. 

We spoke with him about his life and career, as we do, and he was candid and friendly, even though we didn't have as much time with him as we have had with others.  

This past year has seen the icon winding down his 60+ yea...

This interview was also recorded in 2011 at Steak & Shake in South Austin, shortly after our first interview with The Hometown Boys. 

Following up on that first interview, we talk a little bit more with Don Roman Martinez and Elias Arredondo. With a quieter environment, we got to dig a little deeper into Don Roman's history and discuss the band's Tejano Music Awards honors. 

Here's what we played: 

Prieta Orgullosa Como Los Hom...

On a lovely summer evening in 2011, we met up with Raphael and Paquito Rodriguez of Los A-T Boyz at Little Mexico on South 1st here in Austin.

We got to know the brothers pretty well, and talked about all manner of things. We learned what it was like for them growing up around their father, Austin legend Paco Rodriguez (who also plays bajo sexto for Los A-T Boyz), and his orquesta group. We learned about that magical moment they fi...

Recorded in 2011 at Cuauhtemoc Hall, San Marcos, Texas.

We met up with the legendary Jaime y Los Chamacos before a show and got to learn about the life and career of Jaime DeAnda. 

A lot has happened since this interview, notably that Jaime and the rest of the band parted ways in 2018. Tejano Nation has covered the different sides to the story, with band ownership at the heart of the dispute. 

Here's what we played:

X-Novia Mil Cad...

Back in 2011, we caught up with Austin's own Gilbert Alba. The veteran Tejano musician has had a long storied career in central Texas and beyond, spending time in numerous bands including Dave Gutierrez y Su Orquesta, Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution. and most notably, The Latin Breed, as well as his own band, The Super City Band. 

When we interviewed Gilbert, his latest CD with his Super City Band, Para Mi Gente, had just be...