00:00:01.389 - 00:00:58.029

And NATO Libro Tia. It is OK. OK. Pero. No noses mana. Yes, there is. Uh so OK. So the masal. OK. OK. I get it. OK. Oral LaRosa queer Laia prea Toda de MS como como to Des Noos el como como te ao Pool compusa Martino

00:00:58.139 - 00:01:58.610

original in the Pocono porque Me Montero. A can, can, can, can, can, can, can Narciso Martinez the, the pi a professor of the, the Texas University. OK. With a pistol in his hand on the Grego Cortez G she g she probably only had

00:01:58.620 - 00:02:31.490

two minutes. It's a long one. It's a longer one, maybe three or more than that. But it is a lot of sing that song, you know, since it happened in 1910. Ok. Now, uh well, I'd like to find out AAA few more things about it should

00:02:31.500 - 00:02:50.100

have better. Oh, this is so many things I don't know where to start. But when you, during the time in the 19 thirties, when you were making those records for, for Bluebird, what was your father working on the railroad and going moving between Houston and San

00:02:50.110 - 00:03:30.169

Antonio and Monterrey Cuando to Grada A Patra Jan El Ferro Carri Cami. No. Yeah and uh uh the Bente Eliano Trabajo from 27 forward. He but he back in uh 23 there are about town in Monterrey. Be Tres. No, no, no, no. Era Elon Ma Mechanic

00:03:31.539 - 00:04:04.210

de la de la locomo. A temporada be man. Lo manda toco in Dallas. Different puntos lo manda. I mosad veo Yano, quere Traa. Terre el punto. Que simple dos anos aa IO A and Estado Un in, in la to be in la ultima. Puo Nueve Anos

00:04:04.220 - 00:05:14.829

in Monterey. Oh no, no, no. Negocio Carrera. Como and a mujeres. La casa Mia Ma. You go back to Que la Sala Eeocps A de la muan Solamente Mio de Todos the, the Tos Art

00:05:30.829 - 00:05:55.790

A vida Mia Mia. No, no, no. He wants you to divide the difference between her life story and what you wanna know. Um Did you play with the family then during the thirties to make a living, you know, did the family appear the Mendoza family here

00:05:55.799 - 00:06:41.649

in the car? La la Plaza del Zac ee en en el dia de la noche de las dosa de la noche de Povera market. No fruit uh la del que I cu la Manana AAA Olympia A Laie de la T intra to, to

00:06:42.600 - 00:07:09.459

de which has meas even the um Comida Mexicana Tamales. Chile con Carne. Ya, ya, nos groups, como Pero Martin Cha um to a can can I So most of the music took place in the T square in San Antonio. But when they say she said plaza

00:07:09.760 - 00:07:29.079

del zac, that's a grass plaza. There was two plaza, a plaza is, is where people congregate or do things like uh the produce market is a plaza and the rest plaza is a grass plaza which is from the, if you've been to San Antonio on commerce

00:07:29.089 - 00:07:58.440

and, and uh Santa Ross, do you remember what streets that, that Grass Square was at? Uh is, is uh it's Houston or Commercio? Ela Santa Rosa. Ila Commercio and I and Houston Como Santa Rosa. It, Leon Leona. Ok. Thank you, Leona. No, no, no, no, no

00:07:58.450 - 00:08:29.339

specs. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Pecos Commercio. Well, anyway, that street, I would find that there's a square. You will find that we gave you three Santa Rosa Houston. And this one we don't know which one did they have a stage

00:08:29.359 - 00:09:12.260

on that or? No, no, no, no, no. Just like you would sing in one side and maybe Pedro Roo. No, there was no. And Milam Park, she said Plaza zac Plaza of the res that means because it was no, but she doesn't know. And is it

00:09:12.590 - 00:09:52.770

two moo la Terre Feria Al Punto ee nae ques a lass aa or Vla Mayland Park? A la la la Mesa era and Eliana Pero Lara. I'd like to discuss in, in your words, in your words. What did it look like? You know, what did the

00:09:52.780 - 00:10:23.690

square look like? Was it dirt ground and with any chairs or come on a, on the, yeah. Avia uh uh mesa tables here and tables here in me, uh uh, in a way and Carlos is a paravan in ab ab como Bueno y a Gregor. The,

00:10:23.700 - 00:11:03.309

the Como Quince Mesas, a lagoa de la la SADs. Yomi Familia Aan Cassar and Cars. No, the plan sort of a little bit. Um, who would, who would determine who would sing? Was there someone who say, ok, you sing now and next hour, Pedro. No, no,

00:11:03.330 - 00:11:27.390

no, no, no, no, I can, I don't have a plaza. I remember now a plaza. It is about a black square block. Ok. And on each side is a truck for, for pro with produce and would come in at about after midnight to be ready for

00:11:27.400 - 00:11:46.429

the early sales from four on in the morning. You would be selling your produce. Ok. But before that 12 midnight, they, they would have that space, uh, available for the purpose of setting up tables and benches where people could go in there and, and, and listen

00:11:46.440 - 00:12:13.195

to strolling. I'll just walk around. Yes. She and her family would have that corner all the time while other trios and duos which would do and come around you that now there was only this group more like hers of a family, a large family. Maria Manuel

00:12:13.984 - 00:12:36.770

Ilo Ito Tala Geno. No, so to say, and who would come and listen to you mostly, um, Mexicans or Anglos too, or who would like it the best? I guess the mostly Mexican audience wouldn't, I mean, who would come and pay her to sing a song

00:12:36.780 - 00:13:16.419

or whatever? Because I think a lot of like the sound of the music. Have you been to Los Angeles where they have this? A lace to Braceros, Mesas, Teodora, Olympia, Pa and La Stros. And how did you come to make the records mostly by yourself? Why

00:13:16.429 - 00:13:31.530

didn't the um I'd like to find out who determined it, that she should make most of the records by herself. You see most of them were done just Lydia Mendoza. Some were done with the family, but most of them were just by herself who determined that

00:13:31.539 - 00:14:15.030

she was the best singer, you know, when there was a contest with a brew beer contest. She won. Uh huh. Well, the brewery had a contest. Uh huh. Who, who were some of the other performers on the contest? Do you remember? Because

00:14:15.039 - 00:14:59.989

my parents Maeva Garza Esperan Espino. Well, Esperanza Spino Eva that or did, did, did any of your sisters go to it? No, not at all. Um This was in the 19 thirties. Yes. No, no, no, no, no, no. La Pera Rosalva programa J de Los Cuarenta.

00:15:01.750 - 00:15:46.460

An Australian. No, no, no. To go to the brewery in San Antonio and ask him if, when they started sponsoring. That would be interesting to see because she says in the thirties and I think I remember it was in the forties. But

00:15:50.049 - 00:16:09.400

no, no, the, uh, see, I'm trying to follow sort of a, you know, to follow your life a little bit. Um, and somehow I picked the time when you start making records because before then you just sang for yourself, didn't you or for the family or,

00:16:09.409 - 00:16:54.570

or did, did you make public, did you make public performances before? 1934? Yyy Cinco Anos and Cantan Ne Nombre Grava Pero Yaso, NAMI, present and Lugares e Grava Unos Discos Para La Marca. OK. Mintos Pero Como Group. No. Yo, Sola Chama and la OK. Was a

00:16:54.580 - 00:17:40.280

label that day in 1928. The whole family recorded. OK. Was it built as the uh No, no. Uh Yes. S and in Maca and VS Avis Pasado Aine del Te Principios de vio Amos Tao Terminos Pasa Porto Cito Salio and the Prince de

00:17:40.300 - 00:18:07.839

San Antonio Salio solicit. Artistas Paragra Lao in San Antonio. If ECU vis S nos Traer de Maca as San Antonio El Milo Imos Group of Pero Con No Papale puso El Cart Blanca who was in Cuarteto Carlan. You my father, my mother, um my sister and

00:18:07.849 - 00:18:57.209

me see. En tempo. No Maria Francis en tempo. Tola Mandolin. No candoli uh uh Panchita in you got that the DL DS records? Oh, you made 10 records for them all in all, in one day? Ok. Have you

00:18:57.219 - 00:19:20.790

found that it was bought out by Columbia later? But a guy named Pope Brockman did, apparently most of it. Do you remember the man's name? Who, who came to the party for cocaine? Hm. No, that was in 1928 Del San Antonio. And, and where, where were

00:19:20.800 - 00:19:48.939

you living at the time? She can understand what you're saying. Ok, great. So when you made those first records in 1928 were you already singing in the streets of like in Monterey or mcallen? Were they sold produce there or where, where would you be singing? Because

00:19:48.949 - 00:20:06.849

you are already a professional group? I mean, you had a name? Quartetto bla, where would you sing? I mean, where, where would you get money from the people for your music out in the street or in the produce? Um And yeah, in the streets and just

00:20:07.030 - 00:21:11.349

a an and how long had you been singing together as a quartet when they made those records? Maybe five? Who sang the lead? Was there a no, no. What did you play? No, no. Violin de Gras and Blueberry and Tool,

00:21:11.699 - 00:21:53.650

violin and Mio Mana la mandolin. In my mother la guitar in Tambo. You Tambourine is that fit? Um But she was living in, in mcgowan at this time in 1930 28 and Mali and in Desu Loss as San Antonio Cientos. San Antonio. How was the, the,

00:21:53.660 - 00:22:07.109

the Valley at that time. Was it beginning to develop a big business down there or not? I'm just trying to get a picture of what it was like in the, in mcallen at that time. Um Was it already a lot of business there? You know, a

00:22:07.119 - 00:22:33.569

lot of people uh or, or not so much was San Antonio? And how can I put it? What I was trying to say? Was it just mostly farms and oh no, Pequeno Grande and Nea Vale Mucho Pera Gente Mexicana. I I leos anos Nua Mucho de

00:22:33.859 - 00:22:56.359

uh Cano Mexicana. So el Grupo de Nosotros is the 10 Mucho Trabajo cans to Del Valle and Vis Tratando Cuarteto Cart. It was all around. They didn't have very much of Mexican music available or around singing like they were. So they moved around in the valley

00:22:56.369 - 00:23:15.420

singing. They were, had a, had a lot of business who were some of the other people you heard that you liked when you were down there in, in that time. Do you remember meeting anyone that you really like a Canva and tempos Ete Gustava como can

00:23:16.719 - 00:23:56.939

queue but I know it. The, the pillar Arcos Margarita Cueto. No, no. Uh Yeah, is a California. It is a Margarita Cueto but but you didn't hear any other people in the valley that you liked, you know, on the streets or some place that No, no,

00:23:56.959 - 00:24:16.589

no, no, no. But you really seem to have a very unique group? What had you ever heard a sound like your family before? I mean, were there other families who would sing in that style? No, this was, you hasn't sort of developed that because, no, no,

00:24:16.599 - 00:25:05.430

no, no. A the Nadia, what sort of songs would the people like the best at that time? Which, which were some of the songs that they like? Rancho Grande? La Do Lori? Um De La Tambien. No, no, no, no, no. Look at and then do you

00:25:05.439 - 00:25:32.390

remember what year you went to San Antonio with your family? Which year that was bea 1928 mcallen you just asked that question. Yes. But I mean she said she was in M in Yeah, but then that same year they move to San Anton and did they

00:25:32.400 - 00:26:10.849

send her pretty much in San Antonio from then on uh those messes. No ma two months. Para Michigan Detroit, Michigan la Como la for Pero la musica como que Sim Cantan Cuarteto Cart Blanca Yona Novela and Maza. Yeah. Po to Na King Canta. No is not

00:26:12.930 - 00:26:33.670

back uh in uh but few months they stayed in San Antonio. They moved to Detroit because her daddy wanted to work for a Ford Motor Company. So when they got over, they still continued to, to sing and they were very rare. 28 in the 28 a

00:26:38.640 - 00:27:14.160

one year in De I El el del Del vs Aia Houston Hao Anno, I Aquino Ireta as San Antonio. Did, did you ever sing the Corrido de Pennsylvania? Mm. Yes. Yes. Have you heard of it? Because that tells the story of many times moving to Pennsylvania

00:27:14.170 - 00:27:27.020

to work in a coma. I was, I, I was wondering whether you've heard that because, um, there is, that's, it was one of the few, you know, that, that deals with once they have established themselves here since there were always more Mexicans coming from south of

00:27:27.030 - 00:27:44.469

the border to compete in the field. You know, many moved north to work in, in factories, get paid better wages. And I think that's one of the few care that, that deals with it. I just found that by, by Pedro Rocha. Um, let me just do,

00:27:45.569 - 00:28:16.420

did, did you sing in, in Detroit when you were there? Did you sing that she started to sing sing? But, but you didn't make any records again until 1933 when you went to San Antonio? Uh huh. Um Did, did you move to San Antonio or do

00:28:16.430 - 00:28:47.369

you, I guess you moved around a lot and, uh huh after that and all, all during the depression days you were in, in San Antonio all during that period. But you would travel down to the valley and sometimes to Houston just to sing during the thirties.

00:28:47.709 - 00:29:08.489

Went to Arizona to it. No justice in the Valley. Uh And to, to, to Houston at all. No, there was mostly in, in, in L a uh when did you, when did you start really traveling? Was that after you start to record for, um, after the

00:29:08.500 - 00:29:43.719

second World War after, you know, in the 19 fifties? Because you stopped recording for Victor and Bluebird. When was it in 1940 in 1940? And all during the war time? Where, where were you, where did you sing? No. Canva. No. Maa Yen. El Pueblo in

00:29:43.729 - 00:30:18.260

the fiesta ceo Pero Fuera de San Antonio. No, OK. No, no, no, no, no, no, nada. You know, and you know, is a grava as la la the, the war was all in 45 right? It was over. Yeah. But I mean, yeah, in 1945 it was

00:30:18.270 - 00:30:37.739

trying to remember when she started recording again. Yeah, I was gonna ask it, was that for Globe about 1948 or 49 something you probably started recording in 1948 or something? Uh Which one was the first label that you recorded for? Which marker uh Concrete es de

00:30:38.219 - 00:31:18.290

la did they in, in, in Antonio? Do you remember the man's name? And who did you record for then? Do you remember the other people that you recorded for uh when Falcon just came up? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Falcon. No, they didn't

00:31:18.300 - 00:31:45.569

come out. The recording was bad. They didn't sound as good as those 47 Pero grave in California. Um Azteca. I was in California. You wanted you know, I was just trying to get back to just one more time to the thirties. And the Bluebird. Did they

00:31:45.579 - 00:32:29.530

record that in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas. The casa de the engine was in the, and did they have a lot of groups? They seem to, um, to one after the other? You know, it's always interesting to find out. What did they pay performers

00:32:29.540 - 00:33:12.920

for those records? Did they pay you flat fee per side or something? I mean, La Primera is a mare to me. No. Quins dollars, $15.01 record. That's all um comos Tres three months. Regresar noon, Primeco Seo Mucho Tav Ame Contrato. Yeah. Contrato. Para el Contrato. $50

00:33:15.839 - 00:33:42.839

or $40.02. Regalia. You know, my father. No oil. No, no, no royalty. $50. Yes. Rados Asal Miloo Guara 1940. Was there anyone who published these songs? You know, did, did you know about the fact that if you wrote a song, you know, that is you should

00:33:42.849 - 00:34:06.689

get roles for the songs. I was wondering whether they were aware of that or, or who published the songs? I believe she doesn't. Que Que La Polica. Queer Pori. They, they, I, I, they were never registered. I thought so. I mean, this is, uh because most

00:34:06.699 - 00:34:20.069

of the material at that time, I just don't think they bothered with it, you know, which is, but, but I imagine. Have you, have you have you tried since then to copyright some of your songs or? I guess I can say yes. Uh I chose, first

00:34:20.208 - 00:34:45.530

of the popular, they have a cation to Hit my mo on it. It's her, her, so I was there and she didn't register it, but then she hadn't received money for it. No, you never registered it. You probably never. I know that the, the Latin feel

00:34:45.540 - 00:35:01.100

is a very, it's a very uncontrolled one, you know, except in South America. I think that's very different. They seem to have a very tight control over his thing. Anyway, that's a whole different subject. But, um, did your sisters and family continue to play with you

00:35:01.110 - 00:35:32.600

as soon as you? No, you, where did you go on your own? Ok. When mother died? When, what year was that in 19 51? Mm. And was your father already dead then, or, or? Oh, my father died in 1938. Did you ever get together with your

00:35:32.610 - 00:36:02.979

sisters now and sing and make music or? Yes, they don't want to. Oh, they don't want to. Uh, they don't, they don't like the sound of this together. That's the other reason or other reasons or whatever. Uh, it the same, you know, to, to, ok, I

00:36:03.110 - 00:36:06.060

come to the end of this tape here. Um,