BROWNSVILLE HARMONICA VIRTUOSO TIM GONZALEZ SURVIVES NASHVILLE TORNADOES; TWISTERS JUST A HALF MILE AWAY

By Juan Montoya

On Saturday, Feb 29, Brownsville native and harmonica virtuoso Tim Gonzalez rocked them out under the Big Tent at the Sombrero Festival.

After taking a day off Sunday and visiting old friends and quaffing a few at the Palm Lounge on Elizabeth Street, he took Monday to speak to inspire elementary school children to stay in school follow their dreams.

On Monday, after talking to the kids, Gonzalez flew back to Nashville, Tenn. where he has lived since 1992. About two hours after he arrived, the tornados struck Nashville.

"It was really close," Gonzalez said of the proximity of the tornados. "We live about half a mile away. It was horrible."

Gonzalez, who was born in Brownsville in 1956, should know about close calls. Except for Beulah, Allen, Carla, and the proximity of Gilbert, most have been near misses.

However, the tornados that skirted his home were two powerful tornadoes with winds up to 175 mph that unleashed much of the destruction that left 24 people dead this week in central Tennessee.

An EF-4 tornado hit Putnam County, and an EF-3 tornado slammed Davidson and Wilson counties before dawn Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Twenty-four people were killed and hundreds of buildings were destroyed when the tornadoes tore through the state.

Gonzalez said he and his family were safe and was thankful but felt for the his neighbors who suffered human and property losses. Entire neighborhoods were wiped out and the destruction has been broadcast on national television.

Now called the "Carlos Santana" of harmonica, Gonzalez – while in Brownsville – and just about everywhere he performs, takes time to talk to schoolchildren.

Gonzalez’s sponsor, Hohner Music, provides Hohner harmonicas to each student in the schools he visits. His motivational speeches are meant to inspire whatever dream or goal the student has.

“I was here in Brownsville as a youth with a dream to someday go to Nashville and I did it,” Gonzalez said. “I may be handing out a harmonica to the next Stevie Wonder of the world.”

Gonzalez continued, “Inspiring kids is something much needed in the educational system. I remind them, respect is success. Respect what you do and love what you do. The kids get it.” Gonzalez always makes time to visit the classroom, and with 10-12 classroom visits scheduled for the coming year.

In an interview with the Port Isabel-Padre Island Press he said he had graduated from Brownsville High School in 1974 and at 18 started his professional music career by playing with many South Texas bands in the Rio Grande Valley before heading out to Nashville in 1992.

 Some of these bands included The Connectors, The Coconuts, and The South Texas Wailers.

A career break happened in 1986 when the South Texas Wailers went to Nashville and performed at the Grand Ole Opry, which won State of Texas finals and made eleventh place. This milestone accomplishment was Gonzalez’s motivation to go to Nashville and record music.

He said over a beer at the Palm Lounge that as a result of the boat captain Vela, his career in music has taken him all over the world.

He has played and recorded with the likes of country artists as Toby Keith, Ronnie Milsap, Doug Stone, Pam Tillis, and Lee Roy Parnell gaining Gold and Platinum Status on the national country charts as well as, blues artists B.B King, Carl Weathersby, Burton Gaar, Mark Selby, Larry McRae, Chubby Carrier, and Anthony Gomes.

 This led to the formation of the All-Pro Blues Jam, where all the best blues artists and musicians came to share their music and experiences – little did they know, these talented players would help inspire his vision for my CD titled ” Straight From The Heart”. From Blues, jazz, and soul to Latin, and he said his dream has come to life.

He has also played with Lee Oskar (War), Magic Dick (J Geils Band), The Rev Jimmie Bratcher, Del Castillo, Los Lonely Boys, The Brew and most recently Adrian Belew (King Crimson, David Bowie).

Gonzalez's next appearance in South Texas will be at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes and he invited the readers of this blog to come hear him.

"Thanks for checking on me, hermano," he said. "It means a lot to me. I hope to see you in Mercedes."