By SANDRA TUMBERLINSON
Museums of San Benito
As volunteers waited for members of the Antique Cars of America to arrive for a tour of the Museums of San Benito in the Community Building on April 1, 2022, I noticed this stocky man in a white western hat, black Guayabera Mexican shirt and cowboy boots walking purposefully back and forth several times.
His boots made a loud, hard impact on the floor that caught my attention. He spoke to none of us. He just looked down while he walked. It was obvious he was concentrating on something, what though, I didn’t know.
Once our guests arrived and were seated in the auditorium, I saw the man again… on stage holding an accordion. That’s when I realized that this was Rio Grande Valley native and Conjunto Music legend Frutoso “Fruty” Villarreal. After a brief introduction, he began his famous, “Homage to The Original Pioneers of Conjunto Music.”
The sweet music flowed from his fingers and mesmerized the audience composed mostly of folks from north of the Valley who may or may not have known they were watching one of the great performers of our time.
His imaginative musical composition and introduction of each man captured the spirit and style of Texas Conjunto greats Narciso Martinez, Pedro Ayala, Santiago Jimenez, Sr., Mario Montez, Ramiro Cavazos, Valerio Longoria, Tony De La Rosa, Ruben Vela, Gilberto Perez, and Ruben Naranjo.
Most of these men were born and reared in South Texas, from Seguin, Texas to the Rio Grande River, and their music reflects the emotions of the people in this state, regional style.
The music was so inviting, I grabbed my sister, and we danced in the lobby, only to be interrupted by others wanting to cut in.
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