Narciso “Chicho” Martinez was born with a gift only given to few. He was a musician who could not read a note, but his innate love for music made him one of the most favorite musicians in Latin America.
In the 1930s, his tunes dominated the radio waves. When the people of the era dialed in any Mexican, Cuban or Latin American station —there was no escape from his brand of music.
The sound of his accordion traveled faster than the spoken word, aided by the radio and the jukebox. More than ever, his music attracted a larger audience beyond the radio. The popular “music machine” found in every tavern carried Chicho’s music throughout the streets, alleys and roof tops that lined the local “cantinas,” adding flavor to the ambience of hardship.
According to Chicho, among the cantina favorites were—Muchacha Bonita, El Jilguero, Cubanita, La Chinita and Carrejo. And just like Beethoven, his music, “Struck fire from the heart of man, and brought tears to the eyes of woman.”
It was late during the “Depression Era,” between 1937 and 1939 that the man and his music reached the pinnacle of success—cutting about 50 records, everyone of them original compositions born from the land and folklore of the Rio Grande Valley.
Speaking in the 1940s from his La Paloma, Texas ranch house, Chicho commented, “I don’t wish to take all the credit. “There is a guitar player from Brownsville name Santiago Almeida who teams up with me on polishing the songs.”Although Narciso was a brilliant musician, neither he nor his partner ever attempted to write lyrics or words for his tunes. “Neither I nor Santiago know a note,” the 31-year-old Chicho explained, “but somehow the songs just come from the heart.”
In 1944, a Brownsville journalist wrote, “Chicho’s songs have a basic simplicity and warm charm that comes only with genuine music of the soil — music of the people. That’s exactly why this brush country vaquero is piercing together music that’s bound to click with his people and with folks that appreciate Mexican music.”
Narciso’s musical recordings hit a dry spell during the war years forcing him to work from sun-up to sun-down producing cotton and not music.
World War II interrupted the daily lives of all Americans, including Chicho’s ability to record new songs —especially because of the scarcity of good accordions.
“I used to play for barn dances in the Valley, but cut that out to preserve my accordion as long as possible. Without it I’m lost. There are many accordions, but only one Hohner,” said Chicho.
Unfortunately, because Chicho and Santiago lacked business sense and bargaining power, his ability to make money suffered. From his 50 recordings he and Almeida recorded, they only realized $500 — $250 each.
The musical movement he created survived through the decades — producing songs not as they were, but as he saw them. During the Depression his music perhaps for a short time, erased the pains of the era.
His music also had an impact during WW II—through the use of short-wave radio that played his valses rancheros and polkas, he brought smiles and created new fans overseas.
In the beginning, he was described as a brush country troubadour, later he became a legend and today, he’s an institution. Narciso is no longer with us, but his music will live forever.
Visit the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center in San Benito and catch a glimpse of the man and his music.
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