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The KUT Longhorn Radio Network Presents: Mexican American Experience Collection

Audio recordings including interviews, music, and informational programs related to the Mexican American community and their concerns in the series "The Mexican American Experience" and "A esta hora conversamos" from the Longhorn Radio Network, 1976-1982.

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PROGRAM INFO

Title:
Corridos: The Oral History Of The Chicano Community
Program #
1978-29
Theme:
Culture

Series:
Music
Host:
Armando Gutiérrez
Guest:
Armando Gutiérrez
Date:
Jun 6, 1978

Corridos: the oral history of the Chicano community

Host Armando Gutierrez discusses the themes, structure and history of Corrido music and plays several examples. Gutierrez explains that the corrido is the basic Chicano music form and also a source of oral history. Scholars like Americo Paredes have analyzed and emphasized the role corridos played in transmitting information within the Chicano Community throughout the Southwest. Most corridos tell a story and Gutierrez plays El Cocoliso give an example of a comical story. Other corridos, such as El Corrido de Jacinto Treviño”—the story of a man who stood up to the Texas Rangers, transmit historical information, albeit a glamorized version. Gutierrez explains that many corridos often transmit the very latest information. The Corrido de Alfredo Gomez Carrasco updated audiences every day with a new song about the 14-day siege Carrasco led in a prison in Huntsville.

Gutierrez also explains that many corridos deal with tragic themes, such as Asesinato de un niño en Dallas, Tejas, which told the story of 11 year old Santos Rodriguez, who was killed by a police officer while in police custody. These corridos reflect the injustices Chicanos faced in the American legal system. Other corridos deal with drug trafficking and offer moral lessons, warning of the dangers of those who get involved. Gutierrez concludes that Chicanos will continue to write corridos and tell their history in song.

KEYWORDS

Alfredo “Fred” Gomez Carrasco
Americo Paredes
Asesinato de un Niño en Dallas, Tejas
Carga Blanca
Chicano Heroes
Chicano History
Chicano Music
Contrabando de El Paso
Corrido
Corrido de Alfredo Gomez Carrasco
Dallas, Texas
Drug Trafficking
Drugs
El Cocoliso
El Corrido de Jacinto Treviño
Heroin
Hunstville, Texas
Jacinto Treviño
Marijuana
Music as a form of communication
Narcotraffickers
Oral history
Police Brutality
Prisons
San Antonio
San Benito, Texas
Santos Rodriguez
Texas Rangers
Tragedy
U.S. Mexico Border
With his Pistol in his Hand
 

Center for Mexican American Studies | Department of History | The Benson Latin American Collection

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