Wednesday May 10, 2006 7:00 PM 225 E. Stenger Street San Benito, TX $5 admission
The multi-faceted musician Herbie Lopez is a staple of the late 1960's and early 1970's Tejano Conjunto sound. Rooted in Robstown, Texas, Herbie was deeply influenced by the conjuntos that performed for the cotton field workers of the Coastal Bend area and the sounds of radio stations such as KUNO of Corpus Christi and KOPY of Alice, Texas. Herbie taught himself to play piano accordion, but also played rums and bass with rock'n'roll bands. His conjunto rhythms were perfected when he played with El Conjunto de Beto Martinez but his musical career climaxed between 1968 and 1974 when he played keyboards for the legendary Conjunto Bernal. Lopez was influenced deeply by accordionists Paulino Bernal and Oscar Hernandez and remembers fondly his days performing with Juan Sifuentes, Eloy Bernal, Beto Salinas, Chacha Jimenez, Joe Ramos, Beto Torres and Joe Solis. Lopez settled in the Rio Grande Valley in 1982 and taught high school band in Weslaco for twenty years.
As a special treat, accompanying Lopez on bajo sexto will be one of the most talented bajo sexto players in the music industry, Max Baca. Best known for his participation with groups such as Flaco Jimenez y su Conjunto, The Texas Tornados, Los Hermanos Baca, Aztex and Los Super Seven, Baca has toured nationally and internationally. He has participated in three Grammy Award-winning albums and is now the front man of the group Texmaniacs.
Herbie Lopez will tell his story and perform with Max Baca at the next "Second Weensdee." A reception will follow the presentation.
"El Second Weensdee" is an oral history series on a local cultural treasure - conjunto music. The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center preserves, promotes and advances the rich cultural heritage of the "Mexicano" community through programming in the arts.
For more information call (956) 361-0110
Cristina Balli Director of Programming & Development Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center P.O. Box 471 225 Stenger Street San Benito, Texas 78586 (956) 361-0110