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THE CROSSROADS OF CONJUNTO MUSIC AND SOUTH TEXAS
Conjunto music was formed in South Texas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a unique cultural blend of Mexican and European musical traditions. The genre was born from the interactions between Mexican communities and European immigrants, mainly German and Czech settlers in Texas and northern Mexico, who introduced instruments like the single-row accordion and musical forms like the polka.
The accordion’s portability and robust sound made it ideal for families moving from place to place for seasonal migrant work, dances, and festivals.
Narciso Martínez, known as the “father” of modern Conjunto, played a pivotal role in shaping the genre. Born in 1911, Martínez immigrated from Reynosa, Mexico, to Brownsville, Texas. He began playing the accordion in 1928, learning from German and Czech players while living in the South Texas town of Bishop. In 1935, Martinez switched to a two-row button accordion and met bajo sexto (a 12-string guitar) player Santiago Almeida Sr. As a teenager, Almeida, born in 1911 in Skidmore, Texas, began playing in his family band, La Orquestra Almedia.
The collaboration between Martínez and Almeida changed how polkas were played. Almeida’s brisk and precise playing on the bajo sexto complemented Martínez’s innovative accordion style, which allowed him to focus on the melody. The result was a bright, snappy sound that became the hallmark of Conjunto music.
The Texas Mexican Conjunto created by Martinez and Almeida directly influenced other music genres, such as Tejano, Norteño, Country, and Rock and Roll.
Today, Conjunto music thrives, is celebrated at festivals, is recognized in halls of fame, and is preserved by today’s artists, including some who have performed at the Museum of South Texas History, such as Gilberto Perez and the family band Epi and Friends.
