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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Musician Traveled with Mariachi Band
By Lloyd Jojola
Journal Staff Writer
Isidro Chavez Sr., a mariachi musician who during his lengthy career played with a number of groups including Los Reyes de Albuquerque, died March 7. He was 89.
Barelas born, but raised in Tomé, Chavez came from a musical family, said Arlene Portillo, a daughter.
"My grandfather, his dad, is the one that taught him how to play guitar, and then it went from there," she said. "I think he was 6 years old when he started playing."
Chavez sang and "played everything," she said.
"He played guitar. He played guitarrón. He played vihuela. ... He played every kind of string musical instrument you can imagine," as well as the accordion and piano, she said.
Chavez began his career in a trio with Stanley Gutierrez and Chavez's daughter, Patricia "Patsy" Quintana, according to information provided by Chavez's family. He and Quintana then formed El Dueto Chavez, and sang and performed with El Mariachi del Norte de Benny Martinez.
They toured throughout the state and neighboring ones, such as Utah and Colorado, and played at events in Mexico and El Paso.
El Dueto Chavez later included his other daughters, Cathy Martinez and Portillo.
Chavez also was in the group Los Rayos y la Centella, which included former Lt. Gov. Roberto Mondragon, who eulogized Chavez last week at Queen of Heaven Church.
"He was with Los Reyes de Albuquerque for 30 years" and an original member, Quintana said.
With the group, he took part in such musical events as the Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., had their music recorded with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, a Smithsonian Institution label, according to information provided by the Chavez family.
He would perform at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in New York, the World's Fair in Seattle and at such venues as the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
As a musician, particularly with Los Reyes de Albuquerque, but also in such roles as an extra, Chavez also appeared in films such as "The Milagro Beanfield War," and "Pocket Money" with Lee Marvin.
It wasn't unusual for Chavez to come into contact with celebrities through his music — like the time his then-young daughter, Portillo, came home and asked him, "Dad, did you meet anybody interesting in New York?
"And he said, 'Yeah, I met these four men with long hair, they were singers. I think they were called the Beatles, or something like that.'
"And I said, 'The Beatles! You met The Beatles!' "
Chavez, as he told the story, had opened the door to leave his hotel room and the English melody makers were running down the hall with a bunch of girls chasing them, so he left his door open and he waved them into his room.
They ran in, closed the door and locked it. "And then they sat and just talked about their music," Portillo said.
Then there was the time she came home and found a stranger sitting in the kitchen.
"I walked in and looked at him and he says, 'Howdy, missy.' And I said hello, and I walked to the back and I asked my mom, 'Who's that gringo sitting in the kitchen?' She said, 'That's John Wayne.' "
Wayne was waiting for Chavez to change into different mariachi suit so that he could follow the group to its next performance, Portillo said.
"He wanted to continue listening to their music," she said. "He liked the music."
As part of an artist in residency program, Chavez would teach music classes at such places as the University of New Mexico and United World College, Quintana said. "He used to love to teach kids, up and coming musicians," she said.
Chavez supported his family working as a machinist for ACF Industries and then General Electric. He also was a Navy veteran.
"But he had his musical career," Quintana said, "which was his life."
Chavez was preceded in death by his wife, Vicki T. Chavez, daughter, Barbara Calderon, son, Edward Chavez, granddaughter, Victoria Quintana, parents, Estanislado and Julianita Chavez, and four brothers. His survivors include his children, Patricia Quintana and her husband, George, Cathy Martinez and her husband, Herman Sr., Arlene Portillo, Isidro Chavez Jr., Doris Sedillo and her husband, Gilbert, Charlie Chavez; 20 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
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