When we think of the Rio Grande Valley, we think of cultura. We imagine the silhouettes of mesquite and palm trees as our blazing sunsets make a scene, dancing to reggaeton in the hot summers, tlacuaches making their guest appearance downtown, taquerias on every corner, and, of course, the songs of the past blasting through the streets from lowriders y camionetas louder than the speakers can handle. Songs such as Flaco Jimenez’s “Viva Seguin,” “Asi Se Baila En Tejas” by Tony De La Rosa, and “Morena Morenita” by Los Dos Gilbertos give us waves of nostalgia from the days when our grandparents cruised down the very same streets we do. This music was born here. And Conjunto is still very much alive. 

Narciso Martínez is known as the “father” of the poor-working-class music genre from South Texas— conjunto. Conjunto brought local communities together to dance in the 1920s at weddings, quincieñeras, and public dances, known as bailes. You can distinguish conjunto music by the famous sound of the accordion, the way the beat of the bajo sexto make you sway, the belting gritos, and the stories told through the singer’s voice. 

San Benito, Texas, is known as the birthplace of Conjunto. It is where, in 2001, the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum was founded, honoring the legacy and history of conjunto music and the musicians who played a pivotal role in its creation, such as Narciso Martínez, Pedro Ayala, Ricardo Guzmán, Enrique Vela, Mario Montes, Gilberto Pérez, and many more.