Tejano Music Pioneer Johnny Gonzales Passes Away at 94

Tejano music has lost one of its most influential figures. Johnny Gonzales, the founder and record producer of El Zarape Records, passed away on Tuesday, June 11, at the age of 94. He had been ill for several weeks, according to sources.

Gonzales was more than just a record producer. He was a TV host, alongside Jose Luis Mosqueda and Mario Montes, of the “Fiesta Mexicana” TV show from the ’60s through the ’80s, showcasing the bands of the day. He was also the owner of the El Zarape Ballroom in Dallas from the ’60s through the ’80s.

Tejano legend Johnny Hernandez paid tribute to Gonzales, saying, “It was Johnny Gonzales who produced my mega national hit ‘Por Un Amor’ when we, Little Joe and the Latinaires, recorded our first album titled ‘Por Un Amor’ on Zarape Records. There would not be a Tejano music industry had it not been for promoters and entrepreneurs like Johnny Gonzales. Johnny traveled with us throughout the Southwest and the Midwest for many years and so he became family. Joe and I loved him like a brother and we will miss him dearly.”

Journalist and publisher Lucy Bocanegra, who featured Gonzales in The Show Scene Magazine in 2017 and plans to write a biography on the legend, shared, “What I learned about Johnny Gonzales was much more than his record label and TV show that promoted the Brown Sound! He was the PROMOTER OF PROMOTERS and he did it from Dallas to Chicago to Cali! He later became a Promoter of the word and gospel.”

The Legacy of El Zarape Records

Established in 1963, El Zarape Records, a Dallas, Texas-based Tejano music record label, played a pivotal role in the Tejano music scene. It was the launchpad for Little Joe and the Latinaires, marking the onset of the artist’s illustrious career. The label also takes credit for releasing “El barco chiquito”, the most acclaimed album of Augustín Ramírez.

El Zarape made history by being the first to bring Tex-Mex music to the national stage. By the mid-1970s, it became the home label for Ruben Naranjo y Los Gamblers, along with other notable artists such as Joe Bravo, Johnny Canales, and The Mexican Revolution. The label was instrumental in introducing a host of new talents, including but not limited to, vocalists and groups like Little Joe & Johnny Hernandez & the Latinaires, Augustin Ramirez, Alfonso Ramos, Shorty & the Corvettes, Joe Bravo, and Kris Bravo.

Notable Releases

• Por un amor (1964) by Little Joe and the Latinaires
• Amor bonito (1965) by Little Joe and the Latinaires
• El barco chiquito (1965) by Augustín Ramírez

Legacy

El Zarape Records played a significant role in the development of Tejano music, releasing albums that contributed to the success of Little Joe and the Latinaires and Agustín Ramírez. The label’s early years marked the beginning of its involvement in the Tejano music scene, leaving a lasting impact on the genre.

The Tejano music community mourns the loss of Johnny Gonzales, a man who dedicated his life to promoting and spreading Tejano music. His legacy will live on through the music he helped create and the artists he nurtured throughout his career.

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