Melba Marez Honors Fallen Tejano Legends With Long-Lost Recording ‘Quiero Saber’

A forgotten recording has been brought back to life by Tejano vocalist Melba Marez, who is honoring the memory of several late musicians through the emotional release of “Quiero Saber,” a bolero originally envisioned by late songwriter and musician Roger Contreras.

Marez revealed the powerful story behind the song, which traces back to a collective of veteran musicians known as “The Sleeping Giants.” The group would gather weekly at Tink-A-Taco on Fredericksburg Road in San Antonio, where musicians exchanged stories, ideas, and collaborated on recordings.

According to Marez, the unfinished track was recently recovered thanks to guitarist Roberto “Boo Boo” Martinez, who was also a member of The Sleeping Giants. The song had never been mixed or mastered and remained untouched for years.

“It was just a potential song waiting to be heard,” Marez explained.

The original recording sessions featured a lineup of respected Tejano musicians, many of whom have since passed away. Among them was Contreras, who specifically instructed Marez on how he wanted “Quiero Saber” performed. Though the song had previously been recorded by Ram Herrera in the late 1980s as a polka, Contreras envisioned it as a romantic bolero. His widow, Aurora Contreras, later confirmed that intention and gave Marez her blessing to complete the project.

Determined to preserve the integrity of the original sessions, Marez enlisted multiple Grammy-winning producer and musician Gilbert Velasquez to modernize the recording while keeping the original performances intact.

“Gilbert deserves all the recognition for doing what he did with it,” Marez shared. “It truly is awesome work.”

Velasquez preserved the original instrumental and vocal tracks while enhancing the recording with additional strings by Chris Guerrero, new guitar work by Velasquez and Martinez, and percussion from Chente Barrera. The result is a polished yet deeply nostalgic production that honors the original musicians and their artistic vision.

Released under the MSP Records label, “Quiero Saber” stands as more than just a song — it serves as a musical memorial to artists who helped build the foundation of Tejano music.

The original musicians featured on the project include Contreras on bass and songwriting duties, Martinez on guitar, Ray Ibarra on percussion, Joseph “Bugz” Garza on drums, Ray Gutierrez Sr. on flugelhorn, and producer Vick Love. Four of the seven musicians involved in the original recording are no longer living.

Marez said the project was deeply personal because of her long history and friendships with many of the musicians involved. She recalled knowing Contreras since childhood because he performed with her brother David, contributing backup vocals for recordings by Ibarra, and working alongside Garza in her own band.

“Part of Tejano music is everyone who has gone before us and laid the path for the rest of us,” Marez said. “This is my way of saying thank you.”

Born in Mathis and raised in San Antonio, Marez began singing in church and studying classical piano at just 8 years old. During her school years, she participated in marching band, jazz band, and choir, performing throughout San Antonio with the Varsity Singers. After college, she joined a local San Antonio group, eventually forming the band Melba Marez & B-MAX in 1987.

Now, nearly four decades into her career, Marez is using “Quiero Saber” to celebrate the musicians, friendships, and shared passion that continue to define Tejano music culture. The single is impacting Tejano radio now and is expected on digital streaming platforms soon.

“This is from me to my musician friends, family, and acquaintances,” Marez said. “A very heartfelt thank you to all.”

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