RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT 9.27.25 A TRIBUTE TO JUAN GABRIEL

A Mexican Independence Tribute to Singer-Songwriter Juan Gabriel by the San Antonio Philharmonic

The world premiere of  “Juan Gabriel: A Philharmonic Tribute,” San Antonio Philharmonic’s groundbreaking September 2025 concert, featured the music of legendary Mexican singer Juan Gabriel. The Tribute marked the first time the musician’s estate has authorized the use of his voice and image projection with a live orchestra. Award-winning Mexican Conductor Felipe Tristan emphasized the unique nature of the production, noting, “The audience will basically come see a concert of Juan Gabriel in video, in audio with the San Antonio Philharmonic live.”

The concert at the Scottish Rite Theater featured Juan Gabriel’s greatest hits reimagined for a full symphony orchestra, accompanied by guest vocalists and mariachis, with projections of Juan Gabriel’s original voice and image on screen, creating a unique and immersive tribute experience.

Juan Gabriel recorded 15 albums and sold 20 million records. He was one of Mexico’s greatest singer-songwriters,  creating songs in many diverse styles– rancheras with mariachis, ballads, pop, rock en español, and disco.  In his 40-year career, Gabriel had an incredible, unprecedented string of hit records for himself and for leading Latin singers.  The concert celebrated his legacy as Mexico’s iconic composer and performer who bridged popular music and classical symphonic expression.

I became a Juan Gabriel fan back in the early seventies when I heard his recording  “No Tengo Dinero” [I don’t have money] as part of his debut album, “El Alma Joven” [the young soul], released in 1971. The words resonated with me, and I often sang that song to my wife Harriett. I earned $6500 a year as a teacher, and we lived in a rented one-bedroom apartment for $95 a month. I began collecting his albums as well as those of leading Latin performers who sang his songs.  Mexican singers Lucha Villa, Daniela Romo, Ana Gabriel, and international stars Luis Miguel, Rocio Durcal, and Jose Jose were among the stars who made his songs famous.

Juan Gabriel [originally named Alberto Aguilera Valadez] was born in 1950 in Paracuaro, Michoacán, Mexico. He was one of ten children living in poverty when his mother decided to relocate the family to Juarez, Mexico. In Juarez,  Gabriel spent his formative years in an orphanage.  He was a teen living in Juarez and singing in local bars when he decided to change his name from Alberto Aguilera Valadez to Juan Gabriel.   His first name, Juan, was a gesture to honor the name of his music mentor, Juan Contreras, whom he met at the orphanage, and the last name Gabriel honored his father’s first name, Gabriel Aguilera Rodríguez.

One of Gabriel’s most famous songs, La Noa Noa, came from his singing at the Noa Noa Bar in Juarez, Mexico.  On three occasions, he moved to Mexico City, and on the third trip, he was falsely accused of robbery and landed in jail.  The prison warden heard him sing and, following an investigation, released Gabriel and provided him with a home for two years. The warden’s wife was especially helpful, introducing Gabriel to singer-actress Enriqueta Jiménez Chabolla, better known as La Prieta Linda. Chabolla connected Gabriel to several mariachi groups and other singers who included him in their performances.

This world premiere of  “Juan Gabriel,” commissioned by the  San Antonio Philharmonic, was made possible through a special license granted by Virgin Music and Sony Music. Felipe Tristán, a Monterrey, Mexico native and resident of New York City, conducted the orchestra.  Tristán is one of the most distinguished Mexican conductors of his generation, with a career that spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Known for his versatility across symphonic, operatic, and ballet repertoires, Tristán has built an international reputation for musical excellence, innovation, and leadership.

With Tristán conducting, the San Antonio Philharmonic opened with the beautiful Huapango by José Pablo Moncayo. Moncayo’s  Huapango is considered a Mexican symphonic classic that evokes a sense of joy and pride with traditional Mexican rhythms and soaring melodies. In honor of the Mexican Independence weekend celebration, the orchestra played the full seven-minute version.

Texas Rio Grande City, Texas, native Ruben Nuñez sang some of Gabriel’s greatest hits. Nuñez has performed with celebrated ensembles such as Mariachi Aztlán, Mariachi Los Arrieros, Mariachi 7 Leguas, and Latin Grammy-nominated Mariachi Herencia de México, with whom he earned a 2022 Latin Grammy nomination. The Mariachi Aztlán recently made headline news when they performed for King Charles of England upon the King’s official visit to Canada.

Chayito Champion sang several Juan Gabriel songs and danced to his music played by the Philharmonic.  Her famous grandmother, Flamenco dancer Teresa Champion, and Chayito’s mother, also a Flamenco dancer,  sat proudly in the audience. Praised by The New York Times for her haunting voice, Chayito Champion has performed with renowned artists and on stages like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She has sung for world leaders, including Pope John Paul II and the King of Spain.

Rhonda Garcia, who sang Amor Eterno [Eternal Love], one of Gabriel’s most famous songs, has been a trailblazer for women in mariachi since becoming the first female member of Mariachi Campanas de América at age 18.  The Mariachi Campanas de America is a twelve-piece mariachi band founded in 1978 in San Antonio, Texas. Known for their innovative blend of traditional mariachi music with Latin and mainstream pop rhythms, Mariachi Campanas incorporates instruments such as accordion, saxophone, keyboards, and a full drum kit. Garcia has performed with famous groups and artists, including Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Celia Cruz, and Vicente Fernández at the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl.

In the presentation of Amor Eterno by singer Rhonda Garcia, the  Philharmonic was joined on stage by UTSA  Mariachi Los Paisanos [Michael Acevedo – Ensemble Director];  Highlands High School – Mariachi Tecolotes, [Hacel Arias – Director]; Lanier High School  Mariachi Engranaje, [Jose Luiz Nuñez – Director]; and Mariachi Origen y Tradición from the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, [Gino Rivera–Director].

We ended our Sunday outing with dinner at Isidore, an award-winning San Antonio restaurant at the Pearl. We were pleased to meet Chef Jorge Hernandez, the Corporate Chef, and a graduate of the famed Culinary Institute of America.  A San Antonio native, Chef’ Hernandez’s experience includes the  Michelin 2-star minibar by José Andrés in Washington, D.C. and Hotel Emma at the Pearl. Isidore was recently recognized as one of the 50 best restaurants in America by the New York Times.  Only four Texas restaurants made the prestigious Times list.

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Copyright 2025 by Ricardo Romo. All photos courtesy of the author.