Valentine’s Dance to benefit Texas Conjunto Music HOF and Museum

Special to the NEWS

Noe Pro

The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum presents the Seventh Annual Valentine’s Dance, “Noche de Ronda,” featuring Noe Pro and The Band.

The dance is scheduled from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight Saturday, Feb. 9, at the San Benito Knights of Columbus Hall, 826 E. Stenger St. Presale admission is $20 per person or $25 at the door. Table reservations are available for eight people ($160). Recommended dress attire is semi-formal.

Proceeds will go to support the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Scholarship Fund. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded in May to seniors in the San Benito High School Conjunto Estrella.

The event will also benefit the “Re-stock the San Benito Food Pantry” drive. Persons attending are asked to bring two non-perishable items to donate at the door.

The featured artist, Noe Pro, has made a name for himself in the 45 years spanning his career that has earned him recognition from the Texas state legislature. In 2002, Senator Eddie Lucio Jr. honored Noe Pro by proclaiming January 24 “Noe Pro Day” for his contribution to Tejano music.

Pro began singing at the tender age of five in Corpus Christi and joined his first band, “The Blue Valiants,” in 1962. He then formed his own band, “Noe Pro and the Band,” which he has stood by since. Members have changed over the years but Pro has stayed constant.

Like many Mexican Americans of his generation, Pro’s career has its roots in rock and roll but after receiving requests for proms, quinceañeras and private parties, he began to make the conversion into Spanish music. His first break came when he received a distribution contract from Mercury Records that helped him reach the national charts. Since then he has recorded with major national and international labels.

His career also included notable awards. Pro competed in the Latin American OTI international song festival in 1983 and placed first for best song and best interpreter at the regional level. He went on to win second place at the national level. The 11th OTI Awards also presented him with first place for the song Proclama which he co-wrote with his sister Delia Pro Muñoz.

Pro retired from touring in the 1970’s to commit himself to his family and become a successful businessman. However, he still plays locally at request for many of devoted fans.

The current line-up for the band is: Noe Pro (guitar), Bobby Garza (trumpet), Henry Castillo (saxophone), Jaime Gonzalez (percussion), Victor Sanchez (trumpet), James Stockwell (piano accordion), John Henry Rodriguez (drums) and David Loya (bass).

For more information, call Rey Avila, president of the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum, at (956) 399-0923 or (956) 245-1666. Tickets are also on sale at the San Benito Chamber of Commerce, (956) 361-3800, the San Benito Knights of Columbus Hall at (956) 399-4257 or the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce at (956) 423-5440.

The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to preserving, documenting, archiving and permanently displaying the history of Texas conjunto regional folk music for the benefit of generations to come, said Avila.

Read this story in the Feb. 6 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.