^M00:00:12 >> Elizabeth Peterson: At the Library of Congress. And on behalf of all of the staff, I want to welcome you for this very special edition of our Homegrown Concert Series. This is our annual National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows Concert. Each year, we present a concern which features one of the current year's National Heritage Fellows. And for those of you who don't know, the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowships recognize recipients' artistic excellence and support their continuing contributions to our nation's traditional arts heritage. And it is the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on traditional artists for their work. The American Folklife Center is proud to have the materials related to the National Heritage Fellows, documenting each of these artists for over 30 years as part of the AFC's permanent collections. Today's concert, conversation, interview, event is A Conversation With Music and it features two of our 2019 National Heritage Fellows, Beatriz "La Paloma Del Norte" Llamas and Blanquita "Blanca Rosa" Rodriguez of Las Tesoros de San Antonio. They'll be joined here by four members of Mariachi Esperanza and all of them will be in a conversation within a very - another very special guest, Dan Sheehy, who is the Director Emeritus of Smithsonian Folklife - Folkways Recordings, and who was himself named a National Heritage Fellow in 2015. He also is the author of - of a recent book, Mariachi Music in America: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. So lastly, just a little word about the Homegrown Concert Series, if you all have never been here. The Homegrown Series is an opportunity for the American Folklife Center to work with coordinators, cultural workers, specialists, ethnomusicologists around the country to identify the very best traditional artists, musicians, dancers to come here and share their traditions and their - their expertise with all of us. This concert today is co-sponsored, not surprisingly - by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Council for the Traditional Arts. Our performance today is going to be webcast, so - and these collections will become part of the AFC archive. So with that said, if you do have a cell phone turned on, please turn it off or at least silence it. We would appreciate it. And now, please welcome Dan Sheehy and our 2019 National Heritage Fellows who are going to come out, and Dan will tell you a little bit more about what you're going to be hearing. So please give them a warm welcome. ^M00:03:19 [ Applause ] ^M00:03:29 >> Daniel Sheehy: Please welcome the real stars here. ^M00:03:33 [ Applause ] ^M00:03:49 Thank you, Lizzie Peterson. Thank you for having come out today. You know, if you want, if you're not allergic to the front rows, please move down. The artists really feed off the enthusiasm of the audience. And let me tell you, we're starting off with a lot of enthusiasm today here with these two Tesoros de San Antonio here. So - right? >> That's right. >> Daniel Sheehy: See? There you go right there. So just to kind of get you in the mood and maybe let people up on the fourth floor - or how high does this building go anyway - hear what we're doing today. We're going to invite Mariachi de la Esperanza to come out and set the stage for us and play this great old song. This is the signature song of mariachi music and by extension música ranchera that we'll be hearing today. So please welcome Mariachi de la Esperanza with El Son de la Negra. ^M00:04:45 [ Cheering ] ^M00:04:51 [ Music ] ^M00:05:33 >> Negrita de mis pesares. Ojos de papel volando. Negrita de mis pesares. Ojos de papel volando. A todos diles que sí. Pero no les digas cuando. Así me dijiste a mí. Por eso vivo penando. ^M00:05:53 [ Music ] ^M00:06:45 Cuando me traes a mi Negra. Que la quiero ver aquí. Con su rebozo de ceda. Que le traje de Tepic. Cuando me traes a mi Negra. Que la quiero ver aquí. Con su rebozo de ceda. Que le traje de Tepic. ^M00:07:02 [ Music ] ^M00:07:46 [ Applause ] ^M00:07:51 >> Daniel Sheehy: Mariachi de la Esperanza. And just so you know a little of the background before we launch into the - the meat of our interviews here, Mariachi de la Esperanza takes its name from the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. And Graciela Sanchez and folks there at the Center nominated Las Tesoros here present with us today for the - what they call the federal government's highest award in the folk and traditional arts, the National Heritage Fellowship, given out by the National Endowment for the Arts. Is there anyone here from the National Endowment for the Arts? I saw her over there. That's why I said. Beautiful. And the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, its relationship to culture, Graciela was explaining to me, really has to do with the whole cultural dimension of - of health, well-being, and justice, and ultimately peace. And the idea's the more you can feel comfortable in your own skin, your own cultural identity, the more - the better off you'll be, the better off society will be. And I tell you, it's - I've been waiting for you all to arrive here during our hour and a half rehearsal and this - it will be hard to find in this world anyone more comfortable in their own skin than the individuals you will see and hear from on this stage right here today. So the National Endowment for the Arts is celebrating its concert Friday night, its appearance here today, and the award ceremony later on this afternoon. So please, let's start off by welcoming the first of our two Tesoros here. We have Blanca Rodriguez. ¿Como es? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Beatriz is first. >> Daniel Sheehy: Oh, we're going to go with Beatriz first, okay. >> Blanca Rodriguez: It's because she's the baby. >> Daniel Sheehy: Oh, she's the baby. That's right. She's only 83, I understand. Yeah, yeah. >> Blanca Rodriguez: And remember, I'm 58 years old backwards. >> Daniel Sheehy: I remember that. Yeah, great, yeah. ^M00:10:04 Okay, so - so we're gonna start with Beatriz Llamas, who was born in the great state of Aguas Calientes in Central Mexico back in about 1936 or so, rumor has it. And at the - the old age of 11 years old, moved to Texas, to Edinburg first, right? Yeah, Edinburg first, right. And then from there, up to San Antonio. And really, she as well as Blanca have been part of pretty much of a big piece of what San Antonio is, especially on the west side of that town where there's a longstanding, very strong Mexican American community. And you know, has anyone ever heard of Lydia Mendoza, by any chance? Lydia Mendoza? Have you ever heard of Lydia Mendoza? >> Yes, she was one of our mentors. One of our mentors. >> Daniel Sheehy: Yeah, yeah. So Lydia Mendoza was actually the very first chair of the National Heritage Awards back in 1982. One of the very first recipients of that award. La Alondra de la Frontera? La Alondra del Valle. De la Frontera, right, from the border, this bird from the border. And she set the stage for a lot of singers, particularly women singers, correct, that followed after her. She was very strong. Her voice was very strong. Her music was very strong. And she left an enormous legacy as we are - we'll see and hear right here today with our Tesoros with us. So Beatriz, so you moved to San Antonio. Tell us, how did you get into - what do you call the music you perform, first of all? Música ranchera or what do you - what do you - what do you call the music you - >> Beatriz Llamas: Well, I start my career in - when I was 16, 17 years, and I started with conjunto [inaudible]. Later on, I got in with mariachi and I performed with the mariachi. >> Daniel Sheehy: So this is about 1952 or so we're talking about, right? >> Beatriz Llamas: The mariachi [inaudible] that literally was my [inaudible]. >> Daniel Sheehy: Yes, so the conjunto, this looks like a pretty educated audience here so you all probably know that conjunto's that Texan style with an accordion right front and center and bass and - >> Blanca Rodriguez: Like the country music from Texas. >> Daniel Sheehy: Like country music from Texas, right. Yeah, yeah, okay. Beautiful, okay. >> Beatriz Llamas: And I performed with the best of accordion [inaudible]. And that's about [inaudible]. >> Daniel Sheehy: Wow. So Paulino Bernal, who those of you may not be familiar with, he is - I think it's fair to say he was a legend of conjunto music. And he said he was a trendsetter in terms of the beautiful harmonies that came out of his accordion, that were also in the music there. And you were part of that with seven LPs, yeah. >> Beatriz Llamas: I was - I went all the United States except Miami because [inaudible]. >> Daniel Sheehy: Right, at that time. >> Beatriz Llamas: Those years. Those years. >> Daniel Sheehy: Right, so all - all 50 states or was that 48 states at that point? >> Beatriz Llamas: All 50 states. >> Daniel Sheehy: Okay. [Inaudible background speaker] So tell us, so here we are, we're in the 50s now and you're performing with mariachi, recording with Paulino Bernal, and so where did it go? Where did things go from there? In your career. You toured with people, for example, mariachis? >> Blanca Rodriguez: She was the first San Antonio performer female singer that performed at - >> Daniel Sheehy: Madison Square Garden. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Madison Square Garden in New York. This little lady here. >> Daniel Sheehy: When would that be? >> Blanca Rodriguez: That would be [inaudible]. >> Beatriz Llamas: I don't remember. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Remember, we're Las Tesoros and we have senior moments. That's how come we don't remember these years. >> Beatriz Llamas: That's right. >> Daniel Sheehy: So sorry to step on your applause, let's give her a round of applause for that. Madison Square Garden. First Mexican singer. ^M00:14:36 [ Applause ] ^M00:14:40 Great. And then you were on the radio. You toured around with - >> Beatriz Llamas: All radio, whatever. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Then Vegas. >> Daniel Sheehy: Yeah, there you go. So - >> Blanca Rodriguez: You should know because you're in the mariachi music yourself. >> Daniel Sheehy: But I'm supposed to act ignorant. >> Beatriz Llamas: He's supposed to pretend. >> Daniel Sheehy: Yeah, I've been a mariachi wannabe for like 50 years. I'm trying to be innocent here. And did you perform with any famous groups other than yourselves? >> Beatriz Llamas: Oh, yeah. >> Daniel Sheehy: Like for example? >> Beatriz Llamas: Yes, yes. >> Daniel Sheehy: Mariachi Vargas. >> Beatriz Llamas: Was the first conjunto in everywhere. Everywhere. >> Daniel Sheehy: Nice. Nice, nice, nice. Paulino. >> Blanca Rodriguez: And you were with the Pablo Reales, too. >> Beatriz Llamas: That's right. So many groups, but No. 1 is Paulino. >> Daniel Sheehy: Wow. And so bring us up to today, pretty much. Here you work with the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio. >> Beatriz Llamas: Yes. >> Daniel Sheehy: How did - tell us about how that - how that came about and how you see it. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Well, our group, Las Tesoros de San Antonio, started as a quartet. The first person that passed away to Beatriz and my knowledge was the only female singer in the state of Texas. She was 83 years old in 2014 and she passed. But like I said, to our knowledge, she was the only female singer in the state of Texas or in the United States that could sing with a tracheotomy in her throat. After Perla - her name was Perla Cortez, la Perla de la Tapatia. After her, it was Rita Vidaurri, la Calandria. She just passed this past January the 16th. She was 94 years old and she was just as strong as I don't know what. She is the baby, I tell her again. She doesn't like for me to say she's the baby, but she's my baby. She's 83. Because I will repeat to you, I want everybody to know my age. I am 58 years old backwards. >> Beatriz Llamas: You see? You see? >> Blanca Rodriguez: See? She gets after me like a mama and I get after her like a baby. Yes. >> Daniel Sheehy: So a lot of, if not most, singers or stage personalities or just people who are well known in the community, take on their own names. People give them their names sometimes and sometimes they come up with their own name. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Oh, excuse me. Let me tell you something. >> Daniel Sheehy: Please. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Okay. Then it came about that Lydia Mendoza, precisely, Rita Vidaurri, the oldest, was the first one to go into the Association of La Esperanza Peace and Justice, and then Esperanza Peace and Justice, Rita says, "Well, you know what? I have other companion singers that exist here in San Antonio." Because of course, we're old, you know, from the old school and some people have forgotten us. So Rita brings in first Beatriz, then myself, then Perla. And Esperanza Peace and Justice, since all four of us were legends of our times, they decided, well, what in the world are we gonna call these ladies. So they called in public, you know, where we performed and they said, "What are we gonna call them?" First, No. 1, the public chose Las Tesoros del West Side, which is the Treasures of the West Side. The west side is the best No. 1 barrio of San Antonio, Texas. We all grew up there, but then the administrator - where is she? I met - where is - where is Graciela? There she is. Right there. That lady right there. She's responsible for Las Tesoros. Right there. And this lady right here, she doesn't like me to talk about her, but she's the manager. She's the one that we bugged. "[Inaudible], where are we going? What are we gonna eat? When are you gonna pick us up?" All this blah, blah, blah, blah. That's this lady right here. And in this trip, our - we were very blessed. Beatriz's oldest daughter and my oldest daughter accompanied us. I don't know where they are. >> Beatriz Llamas: They went to eat. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Since all of us were legends, that's why they had asked the public, Esperanza asked the public, what in the world are we gonna call that quartet. Okay, like I said, first they wrote in and they called it - you know how the public is. So they said Las Tesoros de West Side. But then our administrator Graciela said, "But when ya'll go out of town and announce Las Tesoros del West Side, nobody knows - is familiar enough with San Antonio West Side, okay." But another person called in and said, "Why don't we call them Las Tesoros de San Antonio?" The Treasure of San Antonio. Anybody that hears San Antonio, Texas, well, it's in Texas. And this is where our name came in. This is how - how we got our name, Las Tesoros de San Antonio. ^M00:19:55 >> Daniel Sheehy: That's a beautiful name and a beautiful story. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Thank you, and it's original. >> Daniel Sheehy: And the - so the name that - that Beatriz carries around with her is La Paloma del Norte, the Dove of the North. How did that happen? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Because out of the group, she's the only one from Mexico. So she came - 13 years old, mija? Thirteen, you were when you came to Texas? [Inaudible] Yeah, she was 13 years old when her family, her dad and mommy, brought her to Texas. So then of course - of course now, hello, immigration, she's not a wetback, she's an American citizen now. So you can't do nothing because she's my baby, okay. Yay! So and hello, senior moment. How many seniors are in here? Yay! Am I not saying the truth? Huh? >> Daniel Sheehy: How can you do anything but tell the truth? Anyway - >> Blanca Rodriguez: You're in my club. >> Daniel Sheehy: So have you all met Blanca Rodriguez here yet? So thank you so much. We're going to hear a little music. This is kind of a mix between talk and some music here. And so moving closer in this direction, we have with us from San Antonio, Texas, we have Blanca Rodriguez. They call her Blanca Rosa, the White Rose, and anything, Beatriz, you would like to say about Blanca? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Tell him something about me, baby. >> Beatriz Llamas: Well, she's like my mother. >> Blanca Rodriguez: That's correct. She better say it. After all my trouble. >> Beatriz Llamas: I'm - thanks to you, that you're here. I'm so proud of you because you took the time to be here. Thanks a lot and God bless you. And listen, I have to say that the La Esperanza, they give us - nos dio - nos dio este fuerza. Nos dio otra vez volvimos a vivir para cantarles a ustedes. Muchísimas gracias a La Esperanza, a Graciela y Amelia - Amelia. Este I'm sorry pero tu nombre se me - Bueno es the senior moments, okay. >> Daniel Sheehy: So Esperanza basically - ¿cuanta gente habla español? How many - how many - here we go. Great. Good, we have a great bilingual audience here. Basically, Esperanza Peace and Culture - and Justice Center gives hope, energy, sort of ganas as they say, to continue on and to sing and bring all this joy into people's lives, like right here. And I feel sorry that people aren't here with - they don't get those blessings on top of the music. And also, back to the front row here. She might not like to talk, but she's the only one sitting in the front row. Good job. Okay. >> Blanca Rodriguez: But you know why, don't you? Because she's checking us out. When we finish, she'll go, "You did this, you did this." That's why she sits there. >> Daniel Sheehy: Sounds good to me. Okay, we're gonna mix a little music in now, right. So we have - we have a little musical program here, and the first - the first singer we have with us is Beatriz and she's gonna sing actually a song that she wrote that's very well known. It's entitled in that part of the - it's not Cario Santo? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Yeah, it is Cariño Santo, but she didn't write this one, but that was one of her big hits. >> Daniel Sheehy: That was one of her big hits. Okay, I take that back for posterity here. This is one of her big hits, Cariño Santo, or Sacred Love would be a close translation, with Mariachi de la Esperanza. Please welcome Beatriz. ^M00:24:01 [ Music ] ^M00:26:14 [ Applause ] ^M00:26:18 >> Beatriz Llamas: Thank you so much. You're gonna make me cry because I'm real happy to be here. Thanks to Esperanza and I'm happy because you like it. That - that's 100 percent cariño para ustedes. My love is for you all. And I'm gonna make - I'm gonna sing Cariño Santo for everybody. If you don't understand, it's a nice song, okay. ^M00:26:54 [ Music ] ^M00:27:15 Cariño santo cuanto me duele. Que tu cariño no tenga yo. Pero recuerda que aquí en mi pecho. Se está queriendo mi corazón. Cariño santo cuanto me duele. Que tu cariño no tenga yo. Pero recuerda que aquí en mi pecho. Se está queriendo mi corazón. No, no y no yo no te quiero perder. Sin tu cariño se muere mi alma. Que sin tus besos que voy hacer. Si ando tomando para olvidarte. Ya hasta en las guapas te vuelvo a ver. ^M00:28:42 [ Music ] ^M00:29:00 Cariño santo cuanto me duele. Que tu cariño no tenga yo. Pero recuerda que aquí en mi pecho. Se está queriendo mi corazón. No, no y no yo no te quiero perder. Sin tu cariño se muere mi alma. Que sin tus besos que voy hacer. Si ando tomando para olvidarte. Ya hasta en las guapas te vuelvo a ver. Es que se yo. ^M00:30:04 [ Applause ] ^M00:30:16 You're in my heart. Thank you very much. God bless you. >> Daniel Sheehy: Beautiful. If you want more of this, there's more on Friday night at the Shakespeare Theatre, so hope to see you there then. That was beautiful. Before we move on to Blanca here - by the way, we're flowing with the flow here. So that first tune was actually a little arrangement starting out with Cielito Lindo, moved on to La Puerta Negra, a really popular tune for the last, I don't know, 15-20 years, and then moved into Cariño Santo, which was - which was Beatriz's signature piece. Still is her signature piece, as far as that goes. So I'm gonna just for a second turn things over here to the leader of our fine group of four mariachi musicians here. The director and arranger and vihuela player, Henry Gomez, to introduce the members of his group there. >> Henry Gomez: Thank you, Dan. I just want to say that it's a pleasure to be here accompanying these great ladies for a great honor. And congratulations again. And it's just an honor for me to be a part of them and the Esperanza Peace Center and to represent San Antonio with our beautiful music from Mexico. >> Daniel Sheehy: So tell - can you tell us who you brought with you here and what about the - >> Henry Gomez: Okay, on my right here, the guitarrón player is Rafael Basulto. And I want to tell you that in the mariachi world, we all have nicknames, okay, so Rafael is called La Mosca, The Fly, okay. And we have on the trumpet Moises Perez. I think he has a nickname, but I'm not gonna say. And then on the violin is Jose Luis Baca and his nickname is La Pera, the Pear, okay. And I decided to call the group Mariachi de Esperanza to honor that great organization from San Antonio, which is the Esperanza Peace Center. Thank you. >> Daniel Sheehy: Bravo. Thank you, Henry. Let me ask the other musicians, does Henry have a nickname, an apodo? >> Henry Gomez: Well, I think I have a lot of them, but they used to call me El Murcielago. >> Daniel Sheehy: The Bat. >> Henry Gomez: Because I used to have a lot of black under my eyes, so they probably thought I never slept or something. But we all have nicknames. >> Daniel Sheehy: Thank you so much, and thank you Mariachi del Esperanza, which is a really nice name for a group, the Mariachi of Hope, which is just a nice touch to go along with the Peace and Justice Center. Let me ask you both, Beatriz and also Blanca here, this music you play, música ranchera, you were part of the hay day, really the rise and triumph of música ranchera, this country, Mexican country style of music. Can you tell us - can you remember any moments back then about what's special about - about música ranchera, the music you're singing? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Well, because the música ranchera expresses - you know like the country music that says love stories and gets upset because husband with lover, with a friend, or whatever? That's what the cancion ranchera is in Mexico. >> Henry Gomez: Their drinking music. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Exactly. >> Daniel Sheehy: So what do you feel when you - what do you put into the music? What should people listen for when they listen to this in terms of just the sound? >> Beatriz Llamas: Well, when we get - when we get in love, we sing love songs. But the Mexicans don't look at the wrong because we get mad and then we sing something against them. >> Daniel Sheehy: So it sounds like all of the emotion is right out front, right? >> Beatriz Llamas: Right. I'm gonna tell you a story. Excuse my English because I don't speak too much English. One day, we went to sing in this place in Texas. And then, oh, everybody was mad or sad because that town, I'm not gonna say the town because I want you to go to Texas, okay, but at that time we - we get there and then we're tired and sleepy and we went to rent a motel, but they say, "No Mexicans allowed." And it's the only place that was there in that town, okay. And then we went to eat in a restaurant. No Mexicans allowed. What's the matter? Because we got money. We can buy everything. Nothing is gonna give us free. But it's the thing. And that - and then another day, we went to this restaurant and no Mexicans allowed. So we change. We have to go [inaudible] and buy bologna and bread and we sleep in the park. So that's - that's sad. That's sad because everybody is human being. I don't know why they do that, because not all the Mexicans, they're bad. There are lots of Mexicans that are good, like the mariachi, like us. We don't break a plate. >> Daniel Sheehy: You know, actually there was another early National Heritage Fellow, the late Nati Cano, who founded Mariachi Los Camperos in Los Angeles, and he told a similar story. He was in West Texas, I won't mention the town, and was - did it start with L? >> Beatriz Llamas: Yes. >> Daniel Sheehy: Okay. Oh my gosh, the same town. And were turned away at a restaurant. He went home, he couldn't sleep all night. He went back home, he started the first mariachi dinner theatre, La Fonda de los Camperos in Los Angeles, and was a major success and triumph after that. He wanted - he said, "Para gente de todas labores y todos colores," all - all colores, all - >> Beatriz Llamas: Por la experiencia que la vida pasado. >> Daniel Sheehy: Right, exactly, for that, and so this is a good - there's a grito en español, no - no hay - que [Inaudible] Yeah, yeah, there's always good things that comes out of not - in this, I would say, don't you agree? This is one of the really great things that have come out of some of these experiences. [Applause] >> Beatriz Llamas: And thank you, my - my - my daughter, okay. My daughter, she came with me and I'm so happy because I'm with her. Because she don't - she don't live in San Antonio, but she came with me, so I'm happy. And same as you. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Oh, that's my daughter. That's right. One of my oldest daughters, Liselda, is also with us. But let me tell you something, guys. This little lady you see sitting here, she forgets a lot of things like I do sometimes, but you don't know who's sitting right next to me. She is the mother of the professor of mariachi music and salsa music at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Yes, that's her oldest son. >> Beatriz Llamas: I'm so proud of my son. >> Blanca Rodriguez: So I'm - Arturo Lopez is his name and I feel just proud. I guess I'm the abuelita of his, of her son. Yes, but actually, ladies and gentlemen, he has - he has been with Texas State 21 years. How many years? >> Beatriz Llamas: 21 years. >> Blanca Rodriguez: 21 years. He - they have competed, you know, his mariachi group from Texas State University, out of 14 to 15 times he has competed, 13 times they won first place. All over United States. All over Texas. >> Daniel Sheehy: And Texas has a lot of mariachis, a lot of mariachi programs, and now these days a lot of mariachi competitions as well. So you know, I want to make sure we have time for the music we have planned here. Could we - >> Blanca Rodriguez: Better have time for my music. >> Daniel Sheehy: Well, there you go. I know better not to have time for your music. So why don't we invite Blanca. She has a couple of her signature songs. First is a bolero, one of those romantic ones that like Beatriz was talking about, called Mucho Corazon. Mucho Corazon, Lots of Heart, this is a classic bolero followed by her signature piece in her performances, La Chancla, The Sandal. ^M00:39:43 [ Music ] ^M00:39:49 >> Blanca Rodriguez: Gracias. Gracias. ^M00:39:51 [ Music ] ^M00:40:07 Di si encontraste en mi pasado. Una razón para quererme. O para olvidarme. Pides cariño. Pides olvido. Si te conviene. No llames corazón. Lo que tu tienes. De mi pasado preguntas todo. Que como fue. Si antes de amar debe tenerse fé. Dar por un querer la vida misma. Sin morir eso es cariño. No lo que hay en ti. Yo para querer. No necesito una razón. Me sobra mucho. Pero mucho corazón. Un aplauso para el Mariachi Esperanza de Henry Gomez. De mi pasado preguntas todo. Que como fue. Si antes de amar debe tenerse fé. Dar por un querer la vida misma. Sin morir eso es cariño. No lo que hay en ti. Yo para querer. No necesito una razón. Me sobra mucho. Pero mucho corazón. ^M00:43:28 [ Applause ] ^M00:43:33 Un aplauso para el Mariachi Esperanza de Henry Gomez. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm appreciating all your applause from the bottom of my heart. Even though some of you might not understand Spanish, but us singers, whatever we're singing, if I'm signing a sad song, I want you to feel sad. If I'm singing a love song, I want you to feel lovable. That's the type of the songs Beatriz and I sing. Now, to continue. First of all, son of a gun, I forgot to say thank you, Lord, for giving us this opportunity to come here to Washington, D.C., for this beautiful audience that we have here. In Spanish - thank you. Applause for yourself. [Applause] In Spanish, there's a saying, poquitos pero escogidos. Very few, but the best. Now I will try [inaudible] one of my hits, La Chancla. ^M00:44:44 [ Music ] ^M00:44:56 Creiyas que no había de hallar. Amor como el que perdí. Tan al pelo lo jallé. Que ni me acuerdo de ti. Una sota y un caballo. Burlarse querían de mí, ¡hay! [Inaudible] Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Querer la vida. Si para morir nací. Amigos les contaré. Una acción muy popular. El que me enseno querer. Es el me enseno a olvidar. Nomás un orgullo tengo. A nadie le se rogar, ¡ay! [Inaudible] Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Que la chancla que yo tiro. No la vuelvo a levantar. ¡Échale mariachi! Un aplauso para el Mariachi Esperanza de Henry Gomez. ^M00:47:19 [ Music ] ^M00:47:22 Amigos les contaré. Una acción muy popular. El que me enseno querer. Es el me enseno a olvidar. Nomás un orgullo tengo. A nadie le se rogar, ¡ay! [Inaudible] Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Que la chancla que yo tiro. No la vuelvo a levantar. ^M00:48:32 [ Applause ] ^M00:48:35 Gracias. Gracias. Gracias. Gracias. God bless you. We love you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ^M00:48:43 [ Applause ] ^M00:48:53 >> Daniel Sheehy: So if you couldn't tell, that was one of those canciones de desamor. So you fall in love, then sometimes you fall out of love. And the punchline is that sandal or that shoe that I throw away, meaning throw away the love, I never pick up again. So La Chancla - >> Blanca Rodriguez: I never pick up what I leave behind. >> Daniel Sheehy: That's right. That's right. Exactly. >> Blanca Rodriguez: I start again. >> Daniel Sheehy: I was sitting her listening and [inaudible] - got the same - yeah, yeah, maybe somebody else actually. Thinking about maybe a hundred years from now, someone will discover the tape of this concert somewhere in the Library of Congress Archive and have a real treat, believe me. So we're kind of in our home stretch here. Before we have a grand finale for you all here, a musical piece, so tell us how do you see today and the future of the music that you perform, the música ranchera? Where have you - I know you're teaching and you've been inducted in the Tejano Hall of Fame and you perform with some of the top mariachi groups in the world, like Mariachi de la Esperanza, Mariachi Vargas, and Mariachi America, and things like that. ^M00:50:07 >> Beatriz Llamas: I was very blessed to be in a company in Denver, Colorado, about 50 years ago by Mariachi Vargas and [inaudible]. Nobody else, just Mariachi Vargas. That's all. >> Daniel Sheehy: And Beatriz, so either one of you actually, how do you see the future? How are things going? From the music point of view and also its place in community, particularly in San Antonio where you live? >> Beatriz Llamas: Okay, well, let me tell you the truth. I'm ready to retire. >> Blanca Rodriguez: No, you're not ready. >> Beatriz Llamas: Oh, look at that. Because I'm real sick. I have diabetes. I fell down five days ago and I feel terrible. >> Blanca Rodriguez: And she needs a round of applause. She fell down on her back about two days ago before we came. >> Beatriz Llamas: But I'm here because I love my friends, the mariachi, I know them since 50 years ago. So we're like a family, okay. And Blanca, too. I know her from a long time ago, but she's a strong woman and she don't have diabetes. But she's strong. I bet you - but I'm ready to retire. So - so I was real happy with the aplausos that you give us. Thank you very much and God bless you. Okay? ^M00:51:53 [ Applause ] ^M00:51:57 >> Daniel Sheehy: And Blanca - Blanca, how do you see the future here? >> Blanca Rodriguez: Well, you know, like I always tell you, because - one of the reasons is because of her son, Arturo Lopez, being like I said the Professor of Music, of Salsa Music and Mariachi Music at Texas State University in San Marcos. He has - because of his teachings, of course they started in high school and everything and then go to him. That's - I like that part, you know. And of course, you know this. Listen, guys, give a round of applause for [inaudible] he has a music - say nothing of himself, but he's a trumpet player mariachi himself. Don Daniel. ^M00:52:34 [ Applause ] ^M00:52:38 So he knows what we're going through right now. Yeah, but that's - that's thanks to - especially to her son. >> Daniel Sheehy: Beautiful. Okay, so things are probably looking pretty good in terms of música ranchera, mariachi music with singing such as you're seeing here. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Yes, now it is, yes, I think because it's getting better every day. >> Daniel Sheehy: I think so, too. I think you're right, from my - my limited point of view. Yeah, yeah, right. So and San Antonio has long been a kind of an epicenter, a keystone city for mariachi music. Touring artists that have gone through and also they have some of the best mariachis that you will find anywhere in the United States and actually Mexica as far as that goes, too. And these four gentlemen here are consummate professionals and know exactly what to do, accompanying singers, doing their own thing, being on stage, working with microphones, the whole thing. And so it's such a place to have all of you with us here. And before we close, I'd like to invite my friends out here in the audience to give you one more round of applause. Congratulations for receiving the National Heritage Fellowship. ^M00:53:40 [ Applause ] ^M00:53:44 To Beatriz Llamas and Blanca Rodriguez, right here. And so now to - we're going to close with this - maybe I should let you talk about it. I'd just like to mention here, run down the musicians again. We have vihuela over there, Henry Gomez. Next to him, Rafael Basulto on guitarron. On trumpet next, we have Moises Perez and then Jose Luis Baca on violin. Mariachi de la Esperanza. ^M00:54:08 [ Applause ] ^M00:54:11 >> Blanca Rodriguez: I'll tell you, without the mariachis, we wouldn't be able to sing to you guys. >> Daniel Sheehy: I think you'd manage somehow actually, but in any case, here we have Las Tesoros de San Antonio. So would you please introduce the closing song here and tell us about it. It's got an interesting story. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Okay, we have named the theme song San Antonio Querido. The oldest one of our members, which was 92, there's a very famous well-known Mexican song which is called Mexico Lindo Querido. But - but Rita, she made - changed the words to that melody with song, with words to match San Antonio, Texas. She talks about the rivers. She talks about the [inaudible], about the mariachis. And this, she made the theme song, and we will try and interpret it now. This, we have to finish it with this. >> Daniel Sheehy: So should they do anything other than applause? As we love applause, but what else can they do out there to express their excitement? >> Beatriz Llamas: To listen to us, because if they wouldn't listen, forget it. >> Daniel Sheehy: What about - could we ask a volunteer? What - what do you do when you get excited in mariachi music? >> El grito. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Alright! Alright, yes! >> Daniel Sheehy: Okay, Las Tesoros and Mariachi de la Esperanza With San Antonio Querido. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Our theme song, San Antonio Querido. ^M00:55:40 [ Music ] ^M00:55:44 This is the song that we want for everybody to remember us when we pass away. ^M00:55:50 [ Music ] ^M00:55:54 >> Voz de la guitarra mía. Al despertar la mañana. Quiero cantar su alegría. A esta tierra Tejana. Yo le canto a misiones. [Crosstalk] A su [inaudible] mis paisanos. Mi San Antonio Querido. Si muero lejos de ti. Que digan que estoy dormido. Y que me traigan aquí. Que digan que estoy dormido. Y que me traigan aquí. Mi San Antonio Querido. Si muero lejos de ti. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! God bless you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! >> Daniel Sheehy: Las Tesoros de San Antonio and Mariachi de la Esperanza. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Come to see us. God bless you. We love you with all our heart. >> Beatriz Llamas: Yes. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Thank you. >> Beatriz Llamas: Thank you. Have a nice afternoon. >> Daniel Sheehy: Bravo! Bravo! Muchas gracias. >> Blanca Rodriguez: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Another round of applause for our mariachi because without them, we couldn't have been able to sing for you. Yeah! ^M00:57:51 [ Applause ] ^E00:57:54