Roger Arocha was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. While growing up in San Anto, Roger was exposed to the music of Henry Zimmerle, Toby Torres, Los Alegre de Terán, and the original "Flaco," Santiago Jiménez Sr. An admirer of the Jiménez family style, their influence is heavily imbued within Roger Arocha y su Conjunto's musical aesthetic.
The Conjunto Cats are a powerhouse ensemble based out of Seguin, Texas. Bandleader, Art Conjunto Cats Campos, began pursuing music since the age of 10. He learned the basics with assistance and was off to the races on his own after that. Young Art realized early on that his ear for music needed to improve.
Chano Cadena was born on October 31, 1937 on a little ranch near Palito Blanco just south of Alice, Texas. Since 1954, Chano has been delighting crowds all over the state and beyond with his lively music.
Mark Weber's love and admiration for conjunto music started in the early 90s. Weber began listening to conjunto while stationed at Fort Sam Houston military base in San Antonio, Texas. Intrigued by the accordion, Mark began taking lessons from the legendary Valerio Longoria†* in 1996. Both eventually became close friends.
Established in 2012, the Los Fresnos High School Conjunto Program is changing students' lives along the Texas/Mexico Borderlands.
Beatriz "B" Santa Ana is a Central Texas native who got her start in music at a young age. The spark she has for singing first ignited and grew within her family home. Her very first stage was her family's garage and the first song B ever learned was Patsy Cline's "Release Me." It was through her singing for friends and family that she became inspired to chase her passion for music.
Santiago Jiménez Jr. was destined to be tejano conjunto royalty at birth. El Chief was born in San Antonio, Tejas and is the son of the late, great conjunto pioneer Santiago Jiménez Sr. Santiago Jr. has an older brother whose name you might also recognize, Leonardo "Flaco" Jiménez.
Since we announced this year's festival back in January, we have been asked when the lineup will be posted and where to get more information. Well, here it is...
Rancho Alegre Conjunto Festival Information
The Rancho Alegre Conjunto Festival is BACK! Make plans to join us in Austin on Friday May 5th and May 7th as we bring some of the best conjuntos to the world-famous Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater at 8th and Red River, in the heart of the Live Music Capital of the World!
What can you say about the one and only, the legendary Flaco Jimenez?
Flaco's been everywhere, played alongside nearly everyone and is a multi Grammy Award-winning international superstar, former Texas State Musician and NEA Fellow.
Get to know Flaco as you may have never heard him before in this intimate interview with our own Baldomero "El Parrandero" Cuellar, which we recorded at Janie's Record Shop in San Antonio in August, 2016. Many thanks to Rudy Ancira of the Tejano Music Alliance of Texas for joining us and documenting the interview.
