Oral history interview with Gilbert Escobedo, 1996 [videorecording].

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Oral history interview with Gilbert Escobedo, 1996 [videorecording].

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/469223189

Gilbert Escobedo begins with his start in the music business with Sunny & the Sunlighters [sic, Sunliners] and reveals the influence of big band music, jazz, and rhythm and blues. He talks about his parents meeting in Elmendorf, Texas, and about his growing up with both Mexican and American cultures in San Antonio. He describes his interactions with the gangs in his old southside San Antonio neighborhood and his early work with the musical group, the Del Reys. He relates his military service with the U.S. Air Force in Germany and his opportunity to play saxophone with the United Services Organization (USO). He shares his struggle to find work after leaving the military and discusses his offer to play for the Sunliners. He briefly describes the Sunliner's combining Conjunto and Norteño music styles favored by the group and elaborates on Sunny Ozuna's business decisions and the causes for the breakup of the Sunliners. He recalls the start up of the musical group, Latin Breed, with Rudy Guerra and defends the band's reasons for not hiring women. He discloses the intricacies of working as backup for female Tejana vocalist Lisa Lopez and explains his role as manager as well as musician for Latin Breed. He gives details on the band's finances, points out a number of the band's playing venues, and deplores the hazards and hardships of traveling with a band. He mentions Latin Breed's television appearances which included the variety show, 'Fanfarria Falcon,' and notes the extent of the band's tours across the United States following their fan base of Mexican American migrant agricultural laborers. He talks about the band's early recordings with Manny Guerra of Guerra Company Productions (GCP), and provides the circumstances surrounding the departure of Latin Breed's first vocalist, Jimmy Edwards. He discusses his reasons for getting off the road and acquiring his own booking agency, Texas Talent Musicians Association (TTMA), and bringing in Rudy Treviño as his partner. He details the selection process for the Tejano Music Awards and notes his brother, Cleto Escobedo (Jr.), was a musician for Paula Abdul.

1 videocassette (VHS) : col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript : 66 p. ; 28 cm.

eng,

spa,

University of Texas at Arlington, Central Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7571694

University of Texas at Arlington, Central Library

Related Entities

There are 21 Entities related to this resource.

University of Texas at Arlington. Center for Mexican American Studies

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Edwards, Jimmy

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Escobedo, Gilbert 1947-

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Gilbert Escobedo, nicknamed 'Gibby,' was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1947 and graduated from San Antonio's Burbank High School in 1965. He played saxophone with the Del Reys before he served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. After leaving military service, he played for Sunny and the Sunliners prior to starting up the musical group, Latin Breed, with Rudy Guerra. He ran his own booking agency, Texas Talent Musicians Association, and cofounded the Tejano Music Awards with R...

Texas Talent Musicians Association

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José Angel Gutiérrez,

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Sunny & the Sunliners

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Guerra, Rudy

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Ozuna, Sunny

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Lopez, Lisa

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Treviño, Rudy.

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Abdul, Paula

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Latin Breed (Musical group)

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Fanfarria Falcon (Television variety show)

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Tejano Music Awards.

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United States. Air Force

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At Harris Neck, Georgia, in the remote northern reaches of McIntosh County, the United States government, in the fall of 1942, confiscated the lands along the South Newport and Barbour Island Rivers. Paved runways were constructed for aircraft, and Harris Neck became an air reconnaissance base for the United States Army Air Force during World War II. A number of support buildings were constructed at the Harris Neck Air Base, such as barracks for personnel, an officers club, and PX, to serve the ...

Escobedo family.

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Del Reys (Musical group)

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Guerra Company Productions.

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Guerra, Manny R.

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United Service Organizations (U.S.)

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The United Service Organizations (USO) was incorporated in the state of New York on February 4, 1941, as a joint operation by the YMCA, YWCA, National Catholic Community Service, the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Traveler's Aid Association, and the Salvation Army, to provide religious, spiritual, social, welfare, educational, and entertainment services to men and women in the armed forces during World War II. The USO has continued to provide these services to the present. From t...

Esbobedo, Cleto, Jr.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b60vc8 (person)