FROM THE ‘CENTER’: Happy birthday to ‘El Huracan Del Valle’

By ROGELIO T. NUNEZ
Special to the NEWS

Rogelio T. Nunez

Rogelio T. Nunez

In the 22nd Annual Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center Conjunto Festival insert for the San Benito News, I wrote about the important idea of rememorando (remembering). The 22nd Annual Conjunto Festival, held on Oct. 18, 19 and 20 eight days ago, was a festival to remember. By far, it was the biggest festival that we have had. Over 3,000 conjunto lovers were in attendance. San Benito and all those who attended from throughout the country experienced the moment of a life time—three days of the best conjunto musicians in the country.

The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center Facebook page has had over 50,000 visitors on its different posts. If you have not gone to our page make sure you visit us soon. It has photos, videos, commentaries, and while the festival is over the documentation on our Facebook page. And others who share our work on their page have for sure placed San Benito, Texas on the map and given us the license to say that San Benito, Texas is the “center of the universe.”

On Oct. 29, the Center will celebrate its 22nd year of having opened its doors in a small office on the second floor of my friend Paul Gonzalez, of Paul Gonzalez Insurance Agency at 101 S. Sam Houston. Paul let us have the space free of rent for the first part of the Center’s existence before we moved to the old San Benito Public Library, and for this we are grateful. Don Narciso Martinez played for the opening of our Center. It was his 80th birthday, Oct. 29, 1991, and he was gracious enough to perform for his birthday, and he too donated his performance. And for this we are also grateful.

On behalf of the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, we want to wish Don Narciso Martinez, “El Huracan Del Valle,” a happy 102nd birthday. We are thankful to the sacrifice and his hard work and dedication in creating and promoting a unique music that today still brings happiness to the hearts of all those who are listeners and supporters of Conjunto Music.

As I mentioned in the article I wrote for the festival guide in the San Benito News, “it is our task to remember,” and today we remember the birthday of Don Narciso Martinez and the opening of the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center.

Con respeto y agradecimiento, Rogelio T. Nunez.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/10/29/from-the-center-happy-birthday-to-el-huracan-del-valle/

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