So, I missed the Big Squeeze competition and the Accordion Kings and Queens this past weekend due to my preference of hanging out with the nephew from L.A., but it’s always good to see news about the local event–even if it isn’t in the local paper.
15 year-old Peter Anzaldua of Brownsville beat out three other finalists to win the competition. So, as I always like to tell the old white dudes from the HoustonRodeo, “Tejano music isn’t dying, cabrones!” Here’s a clip of the story:
In addition to taking home the top prize of $1,000 and a Hohner Classic II accordion, after winning the contest Anzaldua got to play a set on the Miller Outdoor Auditorium stage with headliners Flaco Jimenez, Mingo Saldivar and the Texmaniacs.
“That was amazing,” his mother Christi Anzaldua said of seeing her son perform with the Texmaniacs, one of the top Tex-Mex conjunto groups in the country.
Anzaldua, who attends Veterans Memorial High School, said the fact that people were dancing during the contest made it easier to perform well. He beat out three other finalists, Luis Gonzalez of Grand Prairie, Michael Salinas of Dallas and Omar Garza of Mission.
“I was excited,” he said. “It’s better when there’s dancing. People get into the music and it just comes together more.”
There’s a great 10-minute clip of the set on Tejano Progressions’ Facebook page. Check it out.
(Thanks to Armando Salinas for pointing me to the story.)
