any girl that wants to learn we can teach them,” Juan said. Although Juan believes that the party starts when the mariachi walks in there are also events that are less like a party. “A couple of times we have gone to a birthday earlier and we have to go to a funeral later and then we have to go to another birthday later,” said Juan. “At one party you have to be happy and joking and at the next party you have to be serious because there are a bunch of people crying...and sometimes its hard.” Having to change your mood depending on the event can be difficult but there are also events that are dear to their hearts. Recently Juan’s uncle, Lorenzo Ruiz, passed away
and there were hundreds of mariachis who performed and attended in his honor. “We felt bad because it was our family member but happy because all those people went to acknowledge him and mariachi. It was the way he wanted it,” Juan said. Teaching the younger generation is a way of keeping the mariachi alive. “Right now I’m happy because I have my sons playing with me, and I will be even happier to see a mariachi with all my grandchildren in it,” said Hector. “My thought is that I would die first but the music will never die.”
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