Tejano Conjunto Music
Resources available at the San Antonio Central Library

"The history of Tejano conjunto music has more elements of intrigue than perhaps a novel writer could dream up: cultural collisions, rural roots, family poverty, racism, transience and illiteracy."
--Ramiro Burr in "A Short History of Conjunto"

Burr, Ramiro. "Squeeze boxing." San Antonio Light (May 13, 1990), p. G1.
TEXANA MICROFILM

This is the the first of a seven-part series in which Burr examines the music, the artists and the annual Tejano Conjunto Festival. Subsequent articles include: "A short history of conjunto," (May 14, 1990); "Women make their mark in conjunto," (May 15, 1990); "Conjunto artists say music means more than money," (May 16, 1990); "Alive and kicking: conjunto beat becomes part of the community," (May 18, 1990); "Conjunto music festival began with genuine devotion to roots," (May 18, 1990); and "Flaco’s style progressively remains tops," (May 19, 1990).

Hisbrook, David. "Conjunto," Texas Monthly Vol. 11 (August 1983), p. 114-115.
PERIODICALS STACKS

Koster, Rick. "North of the border—the age of conjunto." In Texas Music. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
781.64097 KOSTER

Peña, Manuel H. The Texas-Mexican conjunto: history of a working-class music. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1985.
LATINO 781.72687 PEÑA
781.72687 PEÑA

Peña, Manuel H. "The emergence of conjunto music, 1935-1955." In "And other neighborly names": Social Process and Cultural Image in Texas Folklore. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1981.
TEXANA 398.09764 AND

Peña, Manuel H. "From ranchero to jaitón: ethnicity and class in Texas Mexican music," Ethnomusicology Vol. 29, no. 1 (Winter 1985), p. 29-55.
PERIODICALS MICROFILM

Peña, Manuel H. "Música fronteriza/Border music," AZTLAN Vol. 21, nos 1-2 (1992-1996), p. 191-225.
LATINO 305.868 AZTLAN

Reyna, José R. "Notes on Tejano music," AZTLAN Vol. 13, no. 1-2 (Spring-Fall 1982), p. 81-94.
LATINO 305.868 AZTLAN

Reyna, José R. "Tejano music as an expression of cultural nationalism," Revista Chicano-Riquena Vol. 4, no.3 (Summer 1976), p. 37-41.
LATINO 810.5 REVISTA

Rosales, Arturo. "La música en Houston: fifty years of Mexican American music," The Americas Review Vol. 16, no. 1 (Spring 1988), p. 12-25.
LATINO 810.808 AMERICA

VIDEOS

Songs of the Homeland, Austin, TX: Galan Productions
VIDEO 782.42162 SONGS

Describes the history of Tejano music in South Texas.

Tex-Mex videorecording: music of the Texas Mexican borderlands
VIDEO 780.97644 TEX-MEX

Flaco Jiménez, Lydia Mendoza, Frank Rodarte, Little Joe Hernández and many others are shown in performance and conversation.

These materials are available at the San Antonio Central Library.
Check online catalog for branch availability.

WEB SITES

Border Cultures: Conjunto Music exhibit - An online exhibit featuring an article on border music by Manuel Peña, photos of Texas conjunto accordion players and album covers, liner notes, and sound samples from Arhoolie Records.

The Roots of Tejano and Conjunto Music - Music excerpts, liner notes, and photos from Arhoolie Records. Includes information on Orquestas Tejanas, San Antonio’s Conjuntos in the 1950s, and Narciso Martínez.

The Texas-Mexican Conjunto - An article by anthropologist Manuel Peña, who has written extensively on Mexican-American folklore and music.

Conjunto 101: An Unofficial Primer, Revised - Carlos R. Guerra discusses the origins and development of conjunto music as well as the instruments that make up the basic conjunto.

The Dialogue of Poets - A profile of Juan Tejeda and the formation of Conjunto Aztlán.

Río Grande/Río Bravo Conjunto Music - Photographs of South Texas conjunto musicians.

Updated: 09/23/2005