Sunday Sessions: Hispanic Heritage
Music is connection: to the past, to the future, to community in the present moment, to memory, to creativity, to learning, to trust, and more.
At this writing, it is a time in the United States when Hispanic heritage is especially celebrated.
Music made by artists who honor Hispanic heritage draws on all those sorts of connections.
Tish Hinojosa was born and grew up in San Antonio. Spanish and English were both part of that, as her parents had come from Mexico to Texas.
Drawn to music early, Hinojosa heard songs from Mexico on the kitchen radio as well as songs in English as older brothers and sisters and school mates shared music form the likes of Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris.
When it came time to write her own songs, Tish found it natural to write lyrics in both English and Spanish, and at times to include both in one song.
Time living in Northern New Mexico increased her ideas of western life and landscape. She wrote cowboy songs, songs of the west, songs about immigrants, songs for children, love songs, story songs, songs of social justice...
She still does. This song is from early in Hinojosa’s career. She has an extensive discography, well worth your exploration.
Amanacer means daybreak. This is a love song, true, and a beautiful one. It has always struck me as a love song, perhaps in an indirect way, to place, as well. Takes me back me to autumn mornings I spent in New Mexico.
Emily Estefan grew up in Miami, daughter of musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Both of them were born in Cuba to families who came to the US when their children were young.
Emily has a musical career in her own right. For this video, though, she presents a medley of two of her mother’s Spanish language songs, Mi Tierra (which you could think of as my country, my home, my land) and Oye Mi Canto (hear my song).
The occasion: several years back, the Library of Congress honored Gloria and Emilio with the Gershwin Prize, which recognizes contributions to popular music.
In English and in Spanish, Gloria and Emilio brought tropical rhythms of the islands into mainstream song. Here, Emily honors that and adds her own touch as well -- and you will see her proud parents beaming in the audience, too.
Returning to a quieter sort of song: Joan Baez recorded Gracias a La Vida at home during the pandemic to, as she says as she introduces it, lift our spirits in difficult times.
The song was written by the late Chilean musician and folklorist Violeta Parra. Baez chose it as the title of her Spanish language album; from time to time she has honored her Hispanic heritage by including songs in Spanish in her English language albums (of which there are many) as well, and she has often performed in both Spanish and English in Spanish speaking countries.
Joan Baez was a major star of the folk music revival in the 1960s. Now in her 80s, she continues to record, perform, and honor her longtime commitment to social justice.
You may also wish to see
Hispanic Heritage: 7 artists to explore: in which you can see another song from Tish and a song from her collaborative project with Stephanie Urbina Jones and Patricia Vonne, revisit Joan’s song, hear Gloria’s version of Oye Mi Canto, and learn about other artists.
Have a read about an all Spanish album from Tish Hinojosa; she has several.
Another Sunday Session: music from Irish American singer Cathie Ryan
Photo by Herrema51
Thank you for reading.
Sunday Sessions is an ongoing series here at Along the Music Road. Stay with us as it unfolds.
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