SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER TTEJANO EJANO Yvonne Y YFuego vonne Y Fuego Joe JVillanueva oe Villanueva Ruby RAnne uby Anne Celebrating Celebrating Dia de DLos ia de Los Muertos Muertos TGCTGCExclusiveExclusiveVAULTVAULT Memories Memories
2 CONTENTS 56 WWW.TEJANO BACKSTAGE.COM PERFECT FOR FALL- EMPANADAS 42SAVANNAH VOTION BACKSTAGET E J A N O 4 OLIVIA MARTINEZ FILMS 32 S E P T / O C T 2 0 2 2 DIA DE LOS MUERTOS TEJANO BLUESMANJoe Villanueva 48 27
Caitlin Ruiz
Editor’sNote Editor’sNote
Print copies are now available on our website- www.tejano-backstage.comPrint copies are now available on our website- www.tejano-backstage.com KellyTrevino helpingstrategies,MytheDisabilityDirector,ThroughoutMexico,firstMostMarketingScoutsAfterFavoritedemographics(nowwithoutasTexas,Countdown,AsAstheownerofThePlatinumGroupAgency,Imanageallaspectsofmarketing,website,andartistmanagement.AsMarketingDirectorforTejanoGoldtheownerofThePlatinumGroupAgency,Imanageallaspectsofmarketing,website,andartistmanagement.AsMarketingDirectorforTejanoGoldCountdown,IhavegrowntolovethemusicandculturethatisTejano.MycareerbeganasaMorningShowHostwithKRYS-FM(K99)inCorpusChristi,IhavegrowntolovethemusicandculturethatisTejano.MycareerbeganasaMorningShowHostwithKRYS-FM(K99)inCorpusChristi,Texas,&soontookonthePromotionsDirectorrole.Ifoundplanningstationeventsandactingasanartistconciergeexciting&veryrewarding.Acting&soontookonthePromotionsDirectorrole.Ifoundplanningstationeventsandactingasanartistconciergeexciting&veryrewarding.Actingasaliaisonbetweenthebusinessandperformersallowedmeinsightandrespectforboth.Italsogavemeadistinctadvantagetohelpcreate&build,aliaisonbetweenthebusinessandperformersallowedmeinsightandrespectforboth.Italsogavemeadistinctadvantagetohelpcreate&build,withoutlosingsightofthebottomline.IhaveworkedasMorningTalent,PromotionsDirectorandProgramDirectoratClearChannelCommunications,losingsightofthebottomline.IhaveworkedasMorningTalent,PromotionsDirectorandProgramDirectoratClearChannelCommunications,(nowiHeartMedia)TejasBroadcasting,andConvergentBroadcasting.Iwasblessedtobethefirston-airjocktoranknumberoneinallagegroupiHeartMedia)TejasBroadcasting,andConvergentBroadcasting.Iwasblessedtobethefirston-airjocktoranknumberoneinallagegroupdemographicsin2005andin2005andFavoriteRadioHostforBestoftheBestin2006.RadioHostforBestoftheBestin2006.Afterradio,Ibegantoradio,Ibegantoworkwithnon-profits,includingTexasStateAquariumastheCapitalCampaignCoordinatorandSignatureEventsDirector&Girlworkwithnon-profits,includingTexasStateAquariumastheCapitalCampaignCoordinatorandSignatureEventsDirector&GirlScoutsofGreaterSouthTexasofGreaterSouthTexasMarketingDirector/MediaSpokesperson.Director/MediaSpokesperson.MostrecentlyIwastheRegionalDirectorfortheHeartofTexas-,recentlyIwastheRegionalDirectorfortheHeartofTexas-,BetterBusinessBureau,helpingbusinessownersandconsumersandcreatingtheBetterBusinessBureau,helpingbusinessownersandconsumersandcreatingthefirstprogramtobeacceptedtousetheBBBSealin105years.Theprogram,programtobeacceptedtousetheBBBSealin105years.Theprogram,EthicsInAction,isnowbeingtaughttochildrenintheUnitedStates,EthicsInAction,isnowbeingtaughttochildrenintheUnitedStates,Mexico,andCanada,receivingrecognitionfromWE.org,GeorgeTakei(StarTrek),andEmmittSmith(DallasCowboys.)andCanada,receivingrecognitionfromWE.org,GeorgeTakei(StarTrek),andEmmittSmith(DallasCowboys.)Throughoutmycareer,Imycareer,IservedasBoardofDirectorforArmedForcesDisciplinaryControlBoard,CASA(CourtAppointedSpecialAdvocateBoardservedasBoardofDirectorforArmedForcesDisciplinaryControlBoard,CASA(CourtAppointedSpecialAdvocateBoardDirector,CorpusChristiEducationFoundationBoardDirector,MayorsCouncilforEducation(CorpusChristi)BoardDirector,AdvisoryCouncilforAged&CorpusChristiEducationFoundationBoardDirector,MayorsCouncilforEducation(CorpusChristi)BoardDirector,AdvisoryCouncilforAged&DisabilityBoardDirector,TheBuildersAssociationBoardDirector,VicePresidentBoardDirector,TheBuildersAssociationBoardDirector,VicePresidentBoardofDirectorofAmericanAdvertisingFederationandgraduateofBoardofDirectorofAmericanAdvertisingFederationandgraduateoftheFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)CitizenClassof2018.FederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)CitizenClassof2018.Mypassionispassioniscreatingintegratedkeymessaging,publicrelationsstrategies,internalandexternalcommunications,brandmanagement,andmarketcreatingintegratedkeymessaging,publicrelationsstrategies,internalandexternalcommunications,brandmanagement,andmarketstrategies,allwithafocusonallwithafocusonhelpinggrowtheTejanoaudienceforgenerationstoenjoy!growtheTejanoaudienceforgenerationstoenjoy!
About 4 Contributors HelloFall HelloFall
Fall is finally here! Kids are headed back to school and soon celebrations will begin for Halloween and Dia de FLos all is finally here! Kids are headed back to school and soon celebrations will begin for Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos. Inside this issue, we celebrate what makes us unique and what brings us together as a Mcommunity. uertos. Inside this issue, we celebrate what makes us unique and what brings together as a community. Savannah Votion, speaks candidly with us about life, what's next for her, and one of her favorite times of the Syear. avannah Votion, speaks candidly with us about life, what's next for her, and one of her favorite times of the year. We have updates on Film Director Olivia Martinez, Karla Christina and Tejano Bluesman Joe Villanueva. Tejano WGold e have updates on Film Director Olivia Martinez, Karla Christina and Tejano Bluesman- Joe Villanueva. Tejano Gold Countdown shares their TOP 20 Countdown lists and an interview with Grupo Secretto. CEnjoy! ountdown shares their TOP 20 Countdown lists and an interview with Grupo Secretto. Enjoy!
Jennifer Osburn
TejanoBackstage Magazine J U L YA U G U S T 2 0 2 2 W W W . T E J A N OB A C K S T A G E . C O M
T E J A N O B A C K S T A G E T E S T K I T C H E TN E J A N O B A C K S T A G E T E S T K I T C H E N MI COCINA 40 Baking just gets better as the temperature Bdrops. aking just gets better as the temperature drops. We couldn't think of another recipe that speaks Wto e couldn't think of another recipe that speaks to our soul more than oempanadas! ur soul more than empanadas! With a warm and flaky crust, this recipe is Wperfect ith a warm and flaky crust, this recipe is perfect for any filling- Sweet or savory. For this recipe fwe or any filling- Sweet or savory. For this recipe we are using a simple pumpkin filling, perfect afor re using a simple pumpkin filling, perfect for autumn aweather. utumn weather. EENJOY! NJOY!4
Filling WWW.TEJANO-BACKSTAGE.COM EMPANADAS Ingredients Butter 2 TBS 3/4 CUP 1 15 oz Can 1 tsp 1/8 tsp 1/8 tsp Dark Brown Sugar Pumpkin Puree Cinnamon Nutmeg Cloves Crust 1 Cup 11 1/3 Cup 1 TBS Eggs Flour Salt Butter Ice Water Chilled White Vinagar 2 1/2 Cups 1 tsp 5
Preheat Oven to
Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until combined. Add the cubed butter and pulse 15 times, or until the butter is approximately pea sized or a little larger
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Refrigerate dough circles for 15 minutes. Place one dough circle on a flat surface Place a scant two tablespoons of filling in the center Fold the dough over and press gently to seal Crimp the edges using this technique or the tines of a fork Repeat with the remaining dough and filling Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes
350 Degrees F Flaky Empanadas 6
Place one of the balls on a lightly floured board Dust a rolling pin with flour Use the rolling pin to roll the ball into a circle, approximately ⅛ inch thick and 5 inches in diameter
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces Roll each piece into a ball
Place a 24 inch piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap Use the edges of the plastic wrap to form the dough into a rectangle, roughly 1 inch thick
Wrap the edges of the plastic wrap around the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour
Preheat oven to 400°F Brush empanadas with the beaten egg Bake for 25 28 minutes, or until golden brown Tips
In a small bowl, mix together the egg, ice water, and vinegar Add to the flour mixture Pulse 6 8 times, or until the liquid is incorporated into the dough (it will look sandy and/or shaggy)
You should always refrigerate your baked empanada dough for a couple of hours before rolling these out This will ensure that your dough holds together better when baked Also, in your baked empanada dough, it is a good idea to use cold water as a binder and not lukewarm water Steps 1-3 Steps 4-8 Steps 9-12
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AISHA'S HALLOWEEN I made our costumes from clothes bought from Goodwill- Except for my wig We ended up winning TWO Halloween Contests! Aisha's Halloween 3 years old 21 KARLA CHRISTINA
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PRODUCTIONSQ T H E O F F I C I A L S T O R E AVAILABLE NOW
El sueño de un padre: La travesía de mi familia en la música narra la vida de un músico, intérprete, hombre de Dios y exitoso empresario mexicano estadounidense Esta historia lleva al lector por el viaje de su vida, una vida que refleja las experiencias positivas y negativas de un éxito hecho a sí mismo. Con una emoción cruda y honestidad, comparte los giros y vueltas de un camino que muchos lectores pueden haberse visto obligados a viajar y algunos otros esperan no atravesar nunca. Desde las sublimes alegrías de la paternidad, hasta el logro de crear un imperio musical y sobrevivir a sus fracasos, comparte los acontecimientos inesperados de la vida que conforman cada una de nuestras vidas. Cada lector obtendrá un sentido más fuerte de humanidad y una comprensión más profunda de cuán preciosa y fugaz puede ser la vida al leer estas memorias
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A Father's Dream: My Family's Journey in Music chronicles the life of a musician, performer, man of God, and successful Mexican American entrepreneur. This story takes the reader on the journey of his life, a life that reflects the up and down experiences of a self made success. With a raw emotion and honesty, he shares the twists and turns of a road many readers may have been forced to travel and a few others hope never to traverse From the sublime joys of fatherhood, to the accomplishment of creating a musical empire and surviving its failures, he shares the unexpected life events that make up each of our lives. Every reader will gain a stronger sense of humanity and a deeper understanding of just how precious and fleeting life can be from reading this memoir. www.q productions.com
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LIFE BALANCE
Well, we are called Yvonne Y Fuego and we are a full band that comes from both Ohio and Michigan areas so typically our guys have to travel an hour to two hours just to get to band practice I will tell you that doesn't seem like it's possible, but we make it work Our band and this wonderful group of guys have now become family We call ourselves Midwest Mexicans, so we all have roots that are from deep Texas into Mexico and a lot of our families have come to the Michigan area over the years for work, and either you know the auto industry or working the fields so I will tell you even though we are way up here, our ancestors have brought the music here and it still runs deep to this day.
YoucantellyouloveTejanomusic.What wouldyousaytothepeoplethatcometohear youplay? For people who do not know, tell us- About yourself and your band Interview with Rudy Trevino, President & Host of Tejano Gold Countdown
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We are very blessed to be continuing the tradition of keeping Tejano music going and now more than ever because with this day and age of social media you know we have a whole new demographic of people that can hear us, so we want to thank people like yourselves and the Internet for giving us the opportunity to hear or have our music be heard. More than just the people here in the Midwest. Tell us about being a Tejano band in the Midwest. How did you come together?
Well, you're talking about people just finding any place so they could have their music heard or sing Just to have the opportunity to come together and listen to the same music that we were playing in our homes Tejano Music! They were just trying to find a place to keep Tejano music going. Where they could come together with other musicians and fans. I remember seeing people from the first to the last song, on the dance floor and they would be packed! This is when I was like 13-14 years old, and I remember the beso’s that you know just carried on for I don't even know how many minutes and just the excitement and hearing that first song, getting up out of the seat dancing, you know? Yes, because we knew we didn't have it like they did in Texas, because Texas had so much happening all the time in Tejano, and here we had to take that pride and just like lay it all out on the dance floor every time we were able to because we weren't sure when the next dance was going to come, or who was going to come or anything like that So, the pride here? It's not just about carrying on what our grandparents and our great grandparents have done but it's also about sharing with the next generation to keep Tejano music going Tell us about that! It sounds like it made quite an impact. Tell us a little bit about what Tejano music is like in the Midwest Are there a lot of fans of Tejano music?
Let’s talk a little bit about the style of Yvonne Y Fuego
What will people hear when they listen to the music?
Well, we have a smaller demographic up here in the north Over the years I remember my grandparents and great grandparents taking us to the local festivals and I remember going to dances that weren't even in dance halls. They were literally in the middle of a cornfield and all of a sudden in the middle there just seems to be this like festival.
We are a northern group, and we are closer to Motown than we are to anything else, like country music. You're gonna hear a lot of the R&B and soul coming through our music. We are a little bit of what we would consider a mesh of music. I don't mean that in the sense of we're bringing you straight Blues or Soul, but you can hear it in the way each musician plays 28
What does each band member bring to make up the sound? It sounds like you all were destined to find each other, just to form Yvonne Y Fuego.
with Rudy Trevino/TGC
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LIFE BALANCE
Our accordion player is a little bit jazzy We have our guitar man who might be a little bit more bluesy and we have a percussionist who's actually into Metal, you know the hard metal rock! Myself, I'm a Rhythm & Blues gal. I grew up in that era here in the Midwest and I just kind of identified with R&B. We have our bass player and he's played in the church so you hear a lot of that really solid sound that you know? And again, you can get that kind of bluesy sound. but he has that very strong drive that you need. And finally, we have my husband, who grounds us. He's a keyboard player and he's the one who put the band together. He is 100% Tejano! If there was a game of Tejano trivia, he would win! You know, it’s this perfect mesh of all of us coming together because we all love Tejano music. Without even really knowing it, we kind of brought all these factors together so well and I can't even explain it. This is something that just kind of happened in the cosmic era. How we've been able to come together and make it work without even trying. We have just blended so beautifully, and I believe that it's part of the success that we've had over the years.
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OLIVIA MARTINEZ YOUNG LATINA FILMMAKER
Kelly Trevino
Olivia quickly knew creating films was the only path forward Acting at the young age of four years old piqued their interest, but by taking on professional acting roles at the age of 10, Olivia knew that filmmaking would be the future. Anyone that has ever been in the vicinity of a small child knows how difficult it can be to hold their attention, but Olivia was amazed by the entire process, “It was then when I would be on film sets and I was seeing how it worked, I became interested in making films. How everything worked together to create this thing,” Olivia goes on to talk about those first films, “So I started making films myself. I would make little stop motion Lego films on my iPad. I spent ALL my spare time making Lego short films!”
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Even though the films were stop-motion works made with toys, Olivia grew to love this new medium of film and found the voice that was inside all along, “I just fell in love with creating and telling stories. I loved that I could tell a story through MY eyes and that other people understood me better through my work and my art.
It doesn’t take long when talking with Olivia Martinez that you realize making a difference is what matters to them most. As a young filmmaker, Olivia has already made an impact in the industry. Fresh out of high school, Olivia is excited about starting classes in Radio Television Film with a focus on Film Production at the University of Texas. Summer session is always a busy time, but Tejano Backstage caught up with Olivia to talk about the films that have already been created and the direction of films in general.
I found that I could Ieasily found that I could easily communicate what I cwas ommunicate what I was feeling and what stories fI eeling and what stories I liked or what interests lI iked or what interests I gravitated towards gthrough ravitated towards through my work,” they mexplain. y work,” they explain. Eventually, Olivia Egraduated ventually, Olivia graduated from the small iPad to a f‘real’ rom the small iPad to a ‘real’ camera and never cstopped amera and never stopped filming. “I brought my fcamera ilming. “I brought my camera everywhere, even school eand verywhere, even school and I never stopped filming. II never stopped filming. I mean I filmed mEVERYTHING. ean I filmed EVERYTHING. I still do that now. I Ilove still do that now. I love capturing moments in ctime.” apturing moments in time.” Keeping a record of Khistory eeping a record of history and the preservation aof nd the preservation of memories is important mto emories is important to Olivia, “Even if it’s just in Omy livia, “Even if it’s just in my life, I love getting to llook ife, I love getting to look back on what I was bfeeling, ack on what I was feeling, or what I was experiencing oat r what I was experiencing at the moment. I think that’s tso he moment. I think that’s so interesting because ithat’s nteresting because that’s not something that I ncould ot something that I could describe to anyone. I dcan escribe to anyone. I can show it to you. The simpact how it to you. The impact certain moments had on cmy ertain moments had on my life can be shown on lfilm. ife can be shown on film. That’s what I love about Tit,” hat’s what I love about it,” Olivia says. Hearing Othe livia says. Hearing the description, dcinematography escription, cinematography to Olivia plays the role tof o Olivia plays the role of documenting memories dor ocumenting memories or moments in mtime. oments in time. 34
"We don't have enough female & queer voices in our society. All the films in my top four favorites were made by men. Right now those are the only stories we hear."
www.tejano backstage.com TEJANO BACKSTAGE | 35 TEJANO BACKSTAGE MAGAZINE
The cultural significance of historians does not go unnoticed throughout our interview. Many of Tejano’s history lessons were told to them by their grandparents, aunts, or uncles There is not much documentation of our Tejano culture, except those memories left behind, told through the memories of our ancestors. Leaving well documented stories and telling those stories from a different perspective to future generations is important to Olivia, “I like looking back at the things Even small things are important. Like what I was filming, even in middle school A lot of those moments I don’t remember until I watch it back again,” with a giggle, “It’s a little part of history My history It’s important to have a film so we don’t forget. I also want to educate people by putting things into a different perspective I think that’s important when learning. It’s important to view other perspectives and see them from different eyes.” Documenting every detail is important.
Perhaps it’s the keen attention to detail that has put Olivia’s films on the list of festivals like the Chicago Film Festival where their film, Fruit, was one of the films out of over 500 selected for screening at the CineYouth Festival in June of this year. Using the medium of film, Olivia’s narrative on eating disorders, captivated audiences from a new perspective Seen from a young person’s eyes, the film tackled the effects of eating disorders using sound and visuals, bringing viewers into the mindset of someone living with this disorder. “I knew the sound was going to be extremely important in conveying my message,” Olivia explains, “When I was going through my relationship with food, I couldn’t stand to eat anything because I couldn’t stand the sound of chewing and at the time, it disgusted me I felt it was important for other people to experience that uncomfortable feeling while they were watching the movie.”
“It’s so ugly how toxic masculinity has put that on young girls. When I was as young as 7, I had trouble eating and looking at myself in the mirror. It says a lot about a society that as a child I felt that I needed to be thinner. I counted my calories at the age of 7 years old. It’s so wild to me that we can put that standard on little girls and that’s where a lot of eating disorders come from. Comments from family members, or friends, seeing models in magazines.” When asked about a dream sequence in the film, the explanation is simple, “When she does pass out, in her dream she is being held up by other people. They are holding and pulling at her, tugging at her. Just a constant loop of people pulling on her, and she has no control. I wanted to focus on the fact that she had no control. The only thing she thinks she has control over is the food she puts in her mouth. The people pulling out her is a symbolization of her not having any control over what she looks like or who she is.”
Watching the short film with the sounds of chewing, laughing while eating, and even the moment when the main character becomes overwhelmed. As an onlooker, the viewer feels the pressure building, until the character falls from exhaustion. Every nuance in the film is intentional in making the viewer experience emotions of an eating disorder. Olivia is laser focused on the message behind that scene. “I made a film last summer called, Aspects of My Gender, and it was kind of misinterpreted. I wanted to talk more about queerness (in the film), but it came out as being held to an expectation that you didn’t think as a person you could meet. So, I tried to talk a little bit about that in this film, Fruit, but through a different lens, like eating disorders. And that is an issue with girls, women, and feminine people in today’s society. A lot of people struggle with having to meet an expectation that they don’t think they can’t meet. And they try so hard to meet this expectation that it’s physically and emotionally impossible.” Olivia continues,
" I t ’ s p h y s i c a l l y a n d e m o t i o n a l l y i m p o s s i b l e . "
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As for the future, Olivia has dreams of working for A24 Films as a cinematographer, “Because I love that I can tell a story through a video. If I’m not working for A24 I will probably start my own production company. Honestly, I just want to create and make films.
Making an Impact Olivia’s film, How It Is Now, earned the honor of Official Selection at The AllAmerican Film Festival in New York City, in 2021 and was screened at AMC Theater in Times Square. The film received high praise for its accurate portrayal of how students’ lives had changed during the pandemic and the loneliness and depression caused by online instruction. It’s no wonder Olivia won the Best Female Filmmaker Award at the Austin International Film Festival for the film in 2021. As a painter would brush a canvas, Olivia used the medium of film to evoke emotions for the short film. In the movie, How It Is Now, viewers watch as darkness enfolds the student lying in bed. As another day begins, they open the laptop. Half asleep the stark glare from the screen lights their face. A teacher sounds almost robotic as they speak, almost trancelike. Every nuance is meant to make the viewer feel the emptiness of this new classroom setting. The setting is not meant to make you feel comfortable. Far from it, the setting is a student’s life during a pandemic. Inviting the audience to explore what life is like, learning from home. Viewers are invited to take a peek at the ‘new normal’ students were experiencing and most were left saying, ‘I had no idea.’ That is the reason behind the films of Olivia Martinez. Olivia wants the audience to ask questions, take a deeper dive into why something happens (or not), and look at things from a different perspective.
I would also like to do is some fashion videography and photography,” they continue, “It’s extremely important to encourage young people to make films and tell their stories. We don’t have enough female and queer voices in our society. Most films are made by men. And if it is a queer story or a female story, chances are it’s told by a man and it’s not authentic. It’s important to have real, authentic representations. If I had seen a queer Latina film about a person like me when I was a small child, I would have learned what I wanted to do a long time ago I think that having that role model is so important and we desperately need these stories from incredible, talented young people. I want to be that for somebody because I didn’t have that.”
I have a feeling young Latinas will have plenty to look up to in the works of Olivia Martinez! 37
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NuestraCultura Dia De Los Muertos
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This time of the year is when theThis time of the year is when the sun begins to scorch a little less,sun begins to scorch a little less, the leaves begin to changethe leaves begin to change color, and the days shortencolor, and the days shorten before our eyes. It isn’tbefore our eyes. It isn’t uncommon to already see shopuncommon to already see shop windows adorned with pumpkinswindows adorned with pumpkins and bats, or big departmentand bats, or big department stores swapping out their beachstores swapping out their beach and summer-themed décor forand summer-themed décor for spookier merchandise. Halloweenspookier merchandise. Halloween is most certainly a highlight of theis most certainly a highlight of the fallfall sseason, but many wouldeason, but many would agree that Dia de Los Muertos isagree that Dia de Los Muertos is quickly becoming a closequickly becoming a close contender.contender.DiadeLosMuertos, or the EnglishDia de Los Muertos, or the English translation Day of the Dead, istranslation Day of the Dead, is typically celebrated ontypically celebrated on November 1 st and 2nd, butNovember 1 st and 2nd, but sometimes also betweensometimes also between October 31 st to November 6th,October 31 st to November 6th, depending ondepending on location.location. By Chase West
Despite the holiday having originated in Mexico, it has now spread worldwide, being celebrated almost globally by those of Mexican and Latin heritage. While skulls and skeletons bring images of trick or treaters to mind, skeletons, and Calaveras (or sugar skulls, decorative, often edible and color skulls made of sugar) are a large part of the festive celebrations of Dia de Los Muertos, along with bright colors, feathers, and floral arrangements. And while images of death and the afterlife are rooted in more solemn tales, Dia de Los Muertos is a rich and vivid celebration of the dearly departed, a party through and through. Ofrendas, or, altars stocked with the departed’s favorite food and beverage are constructed, as well as gift-giving visits to the final resting places of loved ones It is thought that these gifts of food and love are welcomed and appreciated by the departed as the veil thins that day between their world and ours. The love of Dia de Los Muertos has quickly spread across the Lone Star State in recent years, with annual celebrations happening in the major cities and smaller ones alike. San Antonio and Austin both have large scale celebrations adults and children alike will enjoy, with vendors, puppeteers, and even pumpkin patches to scour through.
“I have been a participant for 14 years. In my first year, I pulled a polka dotted suitcase full of masks and props to accompany my dances.” Saldivar stated that like everything else, the pandemic has had an effect on the festival but through the support of the community, it has continued strong. “The last two years have been different, but still fun! The street festival is a collaboration of many artists, dancers, musicians, DJs, families, and of course, the community I am forever thankful to be a part of this annual event that celebrates the lives of those who have passed on ” In this ever changing world, it’s nice to have things we can rely on and hold near and dear: our grandparents’ wisdom, the company of friends and family, delicious food, and tradition old and new. The celebration of Dia de Los Muertos is all of these and more and will undoubtedly stand the test of time… perhaps even after we ourselves move on to the next life.
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Denton’s festival shouldn’t be overlooked either, as its coffin races are now an annual staple of the city’s celebration Further South and now in its 15th year, Corpus Christi’s Dia de Los Muertos street festival has become the city’s largest, and recognized nationally as one of the largest in Texas, with attendance going from 600 in 2008 to more than 50,000 attendees in recent years. Teresa Saldivar, a dance teacher with the Art Museum of South Texas as well as a performer in the block party has been witness to as well as instrumental in the festival’s recent growth.
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THELEADERINTEJANOMUSIC
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Thanksgiving TurkeygiveawaysandChristmas Food,bedding,andtoysforcatsanddogsat theBrownsvilleshelter\(BARC), Cupcakesandlivemusic(farra/farra)forthe elderlyatvariousnursinghomes, ToyDriveforVRMCHospitalsPediatricUnitandER, ToyDrivefor2localelementaryschoolswithunits forchildrenwithintellectualdisabilities The281 Saloonhasitsholidaydrives RubyAnne's281TakeoverTejanoWildfire RubyAnnerecentlyhostedRubyAnne's281Takeover: TejanoWildfireisanonprofiteventinwhichall proceedswillgotoRubyAnne'sand281Saloon's holidaydrives Bothhavenumerousholidaydrives throughouttheyear RubyAnne'sholidaydriveconsistsof: DuringThanksgiving,281Saloonshutsdownbusiness andhostsaThanksgivingdinnerfor familiesinneed TheyalsoholdToysforTots duringtheChristmasseason Thisyear,RubyAnnefocusedonmeetingtheneeds ofmorefamiliesforThanksgivingaswellasreaching moreschools,hospitals,nursinghomes,andanimal shelters RubyAnneisalsodiligently workingondifferentdrivestotakeeffect throughouttheyear,notjustduringtheholiday Season RubyAnne,alongwithherhusbandCarlos, worked withJess&Dannyfrom281Saloon,to hostthisevent Bringingfansa pop upmarket, foodvendors,andnumerous merchandisevendors Theyalsobroughtthefarm experiencewithValdezPoniesandLarrytheParty Alpaca TheLuchaLibreexperiencewasbroughtby EvilMasterswhoevendonatedanauthenticmaskto thewinneroftheJalapeñoEatingContest TheArtOf Expressing Feelings 46 Thereweremanydoorprizes,raffles,differentactivities suchasbouncerforthekids,andcontests Theyhadtheredcarpetexperiencewith TikTokFamousVeronicaLaTejanatakingphotosofthe artists!PodcastswithInterviewsoftheartistsand ownerofthe281SaloonbyQVORadioDJNDO (LawrenceCasarez)fromSanAngelo Theeventwas MC’dbyHoustonTejanoHitsRadioElian,LaMeraMera &BigBen EntertainmentwasbroughtbyThirteen amazingartistsfromalloverTexaswhobrought outstandingepicperformances: MariachiPrincessLaCharrita Abigail,TheKingofthe South FreddyAviles, Anikka, AngelJimenez,JennyB,RoXxy,AliciaC, WCyJexal,GrupoLegadoLosOriginalesdeBrownsville, MarkAlanizyTexasPachanga, TejanoMusicAward3xNomineeMagaliDeLaRosa, andyourveryown,TejanoGoldCountdownCharting RubyAnne! RubyAnneiscontinuouslyworkinginthe studioonhernewalbum doingwhatsheloves HerlatestsinglewrittenbySevyContreras&Joel Villarreal;&producedbySevyContreras@ SlackMonsterStudiosandvideoproducedbyLawrence CasarezissettobereleasedSeptember11th,2022 promotedbyherpowerfulpromoter RosieAllisonRAP Promotions Don'tmissit!!#ithinkweneedmorebass
The baby of seven children, TTejano he baby of seven children, Tejano Bluesman-Joe Villanueva’s learned Bquickly luesman-Joe Villanueva’s learned quickly how to get along and you can tell his hearly ow to get along and you can tell his early years, formed his funny ypersonality. ears, formed his funny personality. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit Rdown ecently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Joe and talk about how he got wto ith Joe and talk about how he got to where he is and where he thinks wTejano here he is and where he thinks Tejano music is headed. Here is just part of mour usic is headed. Here is just part of our frank and honest fdiscussion. rank and honest discussion. Whatwasitlikebeingthebabyina familyofsixothersiblings?
Since I was the baby of the Sfamily, ince I was the baby of the family, my sisters would tell these mstories y sisters would tell these stories about when they used to do this aor bout when used to do this or that to me. Now that I’m tolder hat to me. Now that I’m older they're nice to me but they say tthey hey're nice to me but they say they were mean to me when I was wlittle ere mean to me when I was little because they wanted a bgirl! ecause they wanted a girl! As I got older, when I would Awant s I got older, when I would want something, I would say, sremember omething, I would say, remember when you were mean to me? Then wit hen you were mean to me? Then it was, oh yes, whatever you want! wIt as, oh yes, whatever you want! It didn’t work with my dbrothers idn’t work with my brothers though! They were like, yeah well, tI hough! They were like, yeah well, I could still kill you so be careful! cJoe ould still kill you so be careful! Joe laughs at the lmemories. aughs at the memories. My Molder y older brothers didn't mess with me at ball. rothers didn't mess with me at all. They left me alone, especially Twhen hey left me alone, especially when they were playing their tinstruments. hey were playing their instruments. They didn't want me to touch Ttheir hey didn't want me to touch their instruments. I would get beat up if iI nstruments. I would get beat up if I didn't leave their stuff alone. dBut idn't leave their stuff alone. But little did they know when they lwere ittle did they know when they were gone, I was touching gtheir one, I was touching their iinstruments! nstruments!
48 with Stefani Montiel with Sonja De La Paz
TEJANO BLUESMAN JOE VILLANUEVA www tejano backstage com
Which explains why Wyou hich explains why you play the electric guitar pso lay the electric guitar so well today! Who are wthe ell today! Who are the oldest and oyoungest? ldest and youngest?
From oldest to youngest are my Fbrothers rom oldest to youngest are my brothers Pete, Ruben, and Chris Then my Psisters, ete, Ruben, and Chris Then my sisters, Margaret, Lucy, and Angel Then me the Mbaby argaret, Lucy, and Angel Then me the baby My oldest brother and I are 28 years apart, Mso y oldest brother and I are 28 years apart, so yeah that's quite a yspread eah that's quite a spread Are all of your siblings musically Ainclined? re all of your siblings musically inclined? The only musical ones were my Tmiddle he only musical ones were my middle brothers They were the ones that you bknow rothers They were the ones that you know influenced me as far as introducing me ito nfluenced me as far as introducing me to instruments They had a band, and they iwould nstruments They had a band, and they would play in our basement ' cause we lived pin lay in our basement ' cause we lived in Michigan for a little while when I was a Mkid ichigan for a little while when I was a kid growing up We moved back and forth gfrom rowing up We moved back and forth from Michigan to Texas a lot You know being Ma ichigan to Texas a lot You know being a kid, I would go down and touch their stuff kand id, I would go down and touch their stuff and then I'd get in trouble The typical tpesky hen I'd get in trouble The typical pesky bbrother! rother! After a while I guess I learned a Alittle fter a while I guess I learned a little bbit it I was picking it up without classes Ior was picking it up without classes or musical teachers or anything like that I mnever usical teachers or anything like that I never got into a musical reading as far as gmusical ot into a musical reading as far as musical notes and all that nstuff otes and all that stuff One day I Owas ne day I was downstairs messing with the drums, and dI ownstairs messing with the drums, and I heard my brothers coming! They came in hand eard my brothers coming! They came in and said, who was playing those drums? I was slike, aid, who was playing those drums? I was like, well it was me I thought I was gonna get win ell it was me I thought I was gonna get in some big trouble, but they were like, no sdo ome big trouble, but they were like, no do that again! I guess sneaking those many ttimes hat again! I guess sneaking those many times downstairs to the basement, learning how dto ownstairs to the basement, learning how to play the drums, was a good thing, cuz pI lay the drums, was a good thing, cuz I learned how to lplay! earned how to play! So, you started out playing Sthe o, you started out playing the drums. Correction, you snuck dand rums. Correction, you snuck and learned to play the drums! How ldid earned to play the drums! How did you end up playing the yguitar? ou end up playing the guitar? My brother is the one that played guitar Mand y brother is the one that played guitar and he turned me onto Jimi Hendrix and that hwas e turned me onto Jimi Hendrix and that was it! I picked up the electric guitar when I iwas t! I picked up the electric guitar when I was 13 I had a little box guitar when I was 1eight 3 I had a little box guitar when I was eight years old but after Jimi Hendrix, I wanted yto ears old but after Jimi Hendrix, I wanted to play like him I wanted to play as well as pI lay like him I wanted to play as well as I could so I played a lot! We always chad ould so I played a lot! We always had instruments in the house We also had ian nstruments in the house We also had an upright piano so I would sit there and play uon pright piano so I would sit there and play on it too My brothers would say, look learn ithis, t too My brothers would say, look learn this, or try this and that So, then I wasn't the olittle r try this and that So, then I wasn't the little pesky kid I was pbefore esky kid I was before Oh, I'm sure you were still Oa h, I'm sure you were still a pesky little brother, just not pas esky little brother, just not as little anymore! Let's talk labout ittle anymore! Let's about Tejano music. How does a kid Tin ejano music. How does a kid in Michigan learn to love MTejano ichigan learn to love Tejano music? music? It was always a party at one of Imy t was always a party at one of my uncle’s houses Every weekend! uAnd ncle’s houses Every weekend! And when I say party, it was more like wa hen I say party, it was more like a driveway party They just dgot riveway party They just got together to hang out My mom twas ogether to hang out My mom was like number 13 in her family, so lshe ike number 13 in her family, so she had nothing but brothers and hwhen ad nothing but brothers and when my uncles had these parties, mthey y uncles had these parties, they always had Mexican music aplaying lways had Mexican music playing Norteno, Spanish or Mexican Nmusic, orteno, Spanish or Mexican music, nobody said anything about nTejano obody said anything about Tejano music But it was playing mtoo usic But it was playing too 49
50 Joe Villanueva collaboration with Demmi Garcia on Tas Loca Baby
In Michigan, Tejano music is really a big deal It's a cultural kind of pride, you know It's more of a IHispanic, n Michigan, Tejano music is really a big deal It's a cultural kind of pride, you know It's more of a Hispanic, Chicano kind of thing where it’s nurtured and respected We take Tejano music for granted in Texas; I think CTake hicano kind of thing where it’s nurtured and respected We take Tejano music for granted in Texas; I think Take someone like Jay Perez, we see him here in Texas so that's like we take that for granted but if he were to go sand omeone like Jay Perez, we see him here in Texas so that's like we take that for granted but if he were to go and play in Wisconsin or Michigan or Illinois where there are a lot of Chicanos and Hispanics, Jay Perez is a pmajor lay in Wisconsin or Michigan or Illinois where there are a lot of Chicanos and Hispanics, Jay Perez is a major star! In the Midwest, it's like he becomes one of those mainstream pop stars It's crazy how that works out ' scause tar! In the Midwest, it's like he becomes one of those mainstream pop stars It's crazy how that works out ' cause like I said, down here I will talk with Ruben Ramos just hanging out We forget it’s not like that leverywhere ike I said, down here I will talk with Ruben Ramos just hanging out We forget it’s not like that everywhere What does the future hold for Wyou? hat does the future hold for you?
I hear this from a lot of artists. Tejano music is really popular in the Midwest. IHow hear this from a lot of artists. Tejano music is really popular in the Midwest. How popular is pit? opular is it?
Where I’m at now and how things have progressed a little bit, I really would like to get out of Texas as far Was here I’m at now and how things have progressed a little bit, I really would like to get out of Texas as far as pushing the music you know, because there is a market outside of Texas But if we don't push it Tejano pmusic ushing the music you know, because there is a market outside of Texas But if we don't push it Tejano music won't go anywhere else I don't wanna say it’s bad or anything, but some artists are content being here wand on't go anywhere else I don't wanna say it’s bad or anything, but some artists are content being here and playing in Texas and that's what they like because they can make a living, and that’s okay But if we ' re pgonna laying in Texas and that's what they like because they can make a living, and that’s okay But if we ' re gonna further with Tejano music or make it more popular we need to push it beyond the boundaries of Texas fNew urther with Tejano music or make it more popular we need to push it beyond the boundaries of Texas New Mexico has a lot of Tejano music, and Tucson does a lot at the casinos Same in Illinois Last year I had a Mguy exico has a lot of Tejano music, and Tucson does a lot at the casinos Same in Illinois Last year I had a guy from Kentucky tell me that he liked my music and he’d like me to come to play during Hispanic heritage fmonth rom Kentucky tell me that he liked my music and he’d like me to come to play during Hispanic heritage month in Kentucky! He asked me to come to hang out and play because liked my style But unless we find ithe n Kentucky! He asked me to come to hang out and play because liked my style But unless we find the promoters or unless we go out there and look for opportunities, we don't know what's out pthere romoters or unless we go out there and look for opportunities, we don't know what's out there
What would you say to the people that say it doesn't matter where we play Tejano music? WThat hat would you say to the people that say it doesn't matter where we play Tejano music? That people outside of Texas aren't interested in pit? eople outside of Texas aren't interested in it?
I know people outside of Texas have heard of Tejano Music because I heard of it when I was a kid in Michigan II know people outside of Texas have heard of Tejano Music because I heard of it when I was a kid in Michigan I was listening to Steve Jordan, Carlos Guzman, Freddie Records artists, and Spanish artists as well My uncles wsat as listening to Steve Jordan, Carlos Guzman, Freddie Records artists, and Spanish artists as well My uncles sat around on the weekend they would drink beer and listen to music We were kids hanging out with our acousins round on the weekend they would drink beer and listen to music We were kids hanging out with our cousins and you could hear that music in the abackground nd you could hear that music in the background
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What do you say to people that have never heard of Tejano Wmusic? hat do you say to people that have never heard of Tejano music? How do we explain this unique musical Hgenre? ow do we explain this unique musical genre?
Selena made a big dent in the music industry because she brought Sit elena made a big dent in the music industry because she brought it to the forefront. Selena broke knocked down that wall and took tTejano o the forefront Selena broke knocked down that wall and took Tejano music past Texas She took it to California, Wisconsin, and mMexico usic past Texas She took it to California, Wisconsin, and Mexico When people ask me, what is Tejano music? I say have you heard Wof hen people ask me, what is Tejano music? I say have you heard of Selena? They say, oh yeah I’ve heard of Selena I say, well it's that Sstyle elena? They say, oh yeah I’ve heard of Selena I say, well it's that style of omusic! f music! Selena helped pave the way for us, now it's up to me and you We Sall elena helped pave the way for us, now it's up to me and you We all must take a part in making it bigger You're doing your part mwith ust take a part in making it bigger. You're doing your part with Tejano Backstage Magazine and sharing Tejano music I do my part Tby ejano Backstage Magazine and sharing Tejano music. I do my part by playing the music Other artists do the same thing, playing the pmusic laying the music. Other artists do the same thing, playing the music to audiences, some of whom have never heard it tbefore o audiences, of whom have heard it before. Artists can A’t rtists can’t be afraid to venture bout e afraid to venture out Some of them are content just being in STexas ome of them are content being in Texas because they have their loyal fan base and maybe they think it's bnot ecause they have their loyal fan base and maybe they think it's not gonna get any bigger than gthat. onna get any bigger than that I don't think I'm gonna be a big Istar don't think I'm gonna be a big star like Selena, but I’ll keep doing my job to spread Tejano music a llittle ike Selena, but I’ll keep doing my job to spread Tejano music a little further only because that's how it was taught to me. If my uncles fnever urther only because that's how it was taught to me If my uncles never would have played Tejano music at those driveway parties, I might wnot ould have played Tejano music at those driveway parties, I might not be playing it btoday e playing it today When I go places and see people bringing their kids, I know those Wkids hen I go places and see people bringing their kids, I know those kids will remember Because I used to go to festivals and parties I saw wthe ill remember Because I used to go to festivals and parties I saw the people on stage playing Tejano Music And I remember They will ptoo eople on stage playing Tejano Music And I remember They will too We just gotta keep sharing it with Wthem e just gotta keep sharing it with them.
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The portrayal of those carriage houses wasn't much more than the common barns, covered by dirt floors, simple wooden walls, and gates that functioned as doors. These doors simply hung from hinges and swung outward bound. To prevent drooping, people designed them in Z and X shapes. During those times, people made city and town gatehouses as the early vehicle storage spaces. Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, carriage houses also started to serve as storage In many colonial American places, a carriage house was usually separated from the house, therefore the homeowners had to walk under several conditions to get to their carriages.
Garage Doors and the Story Behind
By Benjamin Shah
Photographs by Reese Miller
It started when the first wheels appeared Garage doors are no longer merely a place to keep your car safely. They have their own long stories full of innovations and adaptations hitherto Nowadays, a garage plays a multi functional role in many households. It is not only a place to park any of your vehicles but also a complementary part that completes a home living. For most homeowners, a garage door may function as the front door of your house. When we talk about the beginning of garage doors, we can date back to thousands of years, about 3500 BC or even earlier when the first wheels were created. Ever since wheels were used as means of transportation, people began to look for places for keeping their vehicles
2022 53
As time can tell, home and business owners have witnessed the twists and turns in the long history of garage doors. Not to mention numerous lines of innovations and modifications, as well as adaptations. Let’s take a journey to look at those historical timelines.
Rockin A Construction History
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The era of horses and carriages ended with the appearance of engine based cars At the end of the 1800s, cars began to replace those precursor means of transportation bit by bit. And by the early 1900s, thanks to Henry Ford, cars started to flourish. This led to another new problem for storage. And the what so called garages slowly emerged In fact, the initial term for the garage appeared in the English dictionary in 1902. It was originally derived from the French term “garer,” which means shelter or cover. There were some reasons why the earliest cars required shelters. First, because of the car design, they were open or physically designed without roofs. Second, early cars were extremely pricey, thereby the automobile owners didn’t want their cars to get drenched in a rainstorm or packed with snow, for example. owners kept them in barns or other existing buildings. Since many urban areas were lack of those types of structures, it let large, private garages emerge. As a result, the owners had to pay a monthly fee as a charge. Still, people did not consider those private garages as a perfect car storage solution. There was a prominent weakness. As an instance, the car owners found it a nuisance to get their cars in a private garage since they had to walk or find other transportation to get there in the first place And the time for personal garages began to come into existence due to those limitations shown by fee based, private garages
Healthyorange coloredveggiesforyourhealth.
The content of vitamin B6 found in carrots and pumpkins has a role in blood cell growth and protein metabolism. Moreover, this vitamin also helps our body's immunity system in producing antibodies to fightagainstanydiseases/illnesses.
Health/Lifestyle
“Vegetables are a must on diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, andpumpkinpie”
I bet that the most common vegetables weknowarethegreenones But,thereare also beneficial and special merits we can get from orange vegetables, such as carrot,pumpkin,paprika,etc Why? vegetables have many following functions.Let’scheckthemout.
TheOrangeLife
HarumiKobayashi Contributor
How many colors do you find in your meal? More than one or two, or even colorless? Didnt you know that based on some research, the color from vegetables and fruits can influence your health because the pigment from those natural colors is effective as an anti cancer, for example Due to the retinoic acid from vitamin A, that can be foundinsweetpotatoesandcarrots
Studies show that high levels of alpha and beta carotene can decrease or reduce the mortality risk causedbycardiovascular Studies show that high levels of alpha and beta carotene can decrease or reduce the mortality risk causedbycardiovascular Notonlypleasantvisually,buttheyare alsosurelytasty.So,don'tforgettoput them on your daily diet. Stay healthy andstaysafe,happypeople!Beta carotene is one of the antioxidant substances thatcanbefoundincarrots,potatoes,andpumpkins
Orange
01.Tofightagainstbreastcancerinanearly stadium 02.Toincreaseourbodyimmunitysystem 03.Toprotectourheart 04.Toprotectourvision 05.Toincreasebeta-carotene JONATHANPATTERSON 55
Savannah Votion Insists on Being the Driver TejanoBackstageMagazine Sept/Oct2022 www.tejanobackstage.c 56
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Speaking with Savannah Votion comes easy She's one of those people that holds nothing back and if you're not willing to hear the truth, it's probably best that you don't ask the question in the first place! Savannah is laid back and in our conversations, there is no question she's not willing to answer honestly Anyone that knows Savannah, knows that she lives life full throttle. Not one to shy away from hard work, she holds down three jobs. Yes, THREE! (Not counting her full time job as a mom.) When I ask her how life is going, Savannah's response is quick, "Oh, my gosh, I've been so busy! I've been working, working, working! Trying to stay busy, and trying to hustle! I mean, I get things done I did La Mas Fuerte, it did really well It was on Tejano Gold countdown for I don't know how many weeks!" La Mas Fuerte did do very well for Savannah, entering TGC TOP 20 Countdown on February 11, 2022 The song rose to the Top 5 and held the #2 spot Total weeks on the TGC TOP 20? Fifteen weeks! That's a long time to remain on any countdown, much less the leading countdown in the industry. But in true Savanna fashion, staying still is not in her DNA By Kelly Trevino
TEJANO BACKSTAGE 57
"After La Mas Fuerte did so well, I went back into the studio, and I'm working with Gabriel Zavala," she says. Gabriel's credentials are known within the industry An award winning music producer, Songwriter, musician, and mixer of Zavala Music
www.tejano backstage.com | 58 TEJANO BACKSTAGE MAGAZINE
Savannah goes on, " Right now, Gabriel is working on a song I wrote when I was in Las Vegas, in July I wrote the song as soon as I got off stage Me and my brother were sitting down and we had a couple of drinks, and the drinks started talking!" The lyrics of the song came from a note that Savannah had written to herself weeks before "The note I had written to myself was talking about how you can block your blessings and sometimes even sabotage yourself." Writing messges to herself became a habit for Savannah after hearing about Lady Gaga and how she would leave notes to herself to keep on track with her goals. This particular note was a reminder to not stand in her own way! " Sometimes you hurt yourself without even knowing it.. So that's the song I gave to Gabriel Zavala, and he fell in love with the idea of the song! So he's been working on that" Savannah adds, " I was just going to release just one song, but Gabriel and I talked and because I have so much different music coming up, and different writers now want to write for me, too. So I'm going to take a couple of songs and we are going to finish my album " It's easy to hear the excitement in Savannah's voice and there's good reason for it Between working in the studio and playing on the road, there's a lot to be grateful for. "But that's one of the reason's I do it! I have always loved being on the road It's so weird, but I love driving! My husband's lik Oh you're gonna take me? Cool!" "I love the peacefulness of driving Being able to concentrate Getting things in order in my mind I love it!" When asked how traveling works with a teenager, Savannah is quick to say, " She goes with me! She's fifteen now, so she's able to travel with me and she loves it too!"
Traveling alos gives Savannah a break from helping patients suffering from chronic pain Something she does when not singing
The lyrics of the song came from a note that Savannah had written to herself weeks before.
"I tell my daughter every day I don't care how people treat you, you smile, you wave and be kind to them. Because you don't know what they are going through behind closed doors," she says Perhaps it's loss that makes Savannah so empathetic to others' pain. Losing her mother left Savannah broken but she didn't give up A lesson she has tried to instill in her daughter. When asked if her daughter would like to follow in her mother's footsteps, Savannah is excited to reminisce about the time her daughter sang back up on her song, Brujeria. "Oh, my gosh, it was so exciting to have her sing backup vocals! Gabriel Zavala was just floored when he heard her voice!! We knew she could sing, but we didn't know she could sing like THAT!" "She went into the studio and I wanted her to hit all the high notes I mean my daughter can hit ALL the high notes! Like Mariah Carey It was a family project for sure!" When they were promoting the song, Savannah and her daughter enjoyed a trip to the beach, " I decorated the entire room in Halloween for her. It was really cool We had a lot of fun!" Brujeria was also the song, that made Savannah realize that music was everything and what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. " I mean I always, knew it was everything to me, but that song showed me it could happen, you know?" When I ask about whom Savannah idolized growing up, the answer is surprising Celine Dion. " You know, seeing people that are in chronic pain, it changes you It makes you appreciate life more. I live moment by moment. I'm not worried about what's going to happen two weeks from now, anymore. Life is very precious. You have to grasp everything you can, and have gratitude! Cuz man, there's so much life to live!" 59
Celine Dion was an escape for Savannah when she was 10 or 11 years old after she lost her great grandfather, Ernest Gonzalez He was the coolest grandfather I had "I remember we were at the movies watching Titanic when we found out he had a heart attack It was so hard for me From that moment on I was obsessed with her" It's her artistry, how strong she is, and how she lets everything out on stage When you go to a Celine Dion concert, you get your money ' s worth!"
A fan of manifesting her fate, Savannah has manifested meeting her idol one day "I don't know what I'll say when I meet her I'll probably just cry, cuz I'm a big cry baby But she has been such an inspiration to me I wouldn't be where I am today, the way I sing, if not for her She inspires me " Of course, another of Savannah's favorite things is coming up on Halloween. "I am big on Halloween! I mean Hello, Brujeria! We are planning a party, we just don't know all that we are going to do for it. I did buy a big inflatable screen for my daughter and her friends to watch movies on though!" What else is on the horizon for Savannah? A lot! " Coming up, I'm working with April Monterrosa, my publicist, she's doing a phenomenal job and I love her name! I'm also working with a Latin pop artist, he's writing some music for me and working with me & Gabe (Zavala) Savannah is excited for the next couple of months, and for good reason. "I'm much more organized and in tune with my career. On September 16th, I'll be doing the Quarter Moon Production Diva Mania with some incredible artists, including Gabriella Martinez, one of my favorite artists right now as well as some really incredible artists! Life is good, really good!" 60
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