Conjunto legend Chano Cadena passed away on Friday, September 19, according to a statement shared on his official Facebook page. He was 87.
According to an artist spotlight from Rancho Alegre, Cadena was born on October 31, 1937, on a ranch near Palito Blanco, just south of Alice, Texas. He discovered his love for music at a young age, inspired by his older brother José to pick up the accordion when he was about 10 years old. His first squeezebox was only a toy, but it sparked a lifelong passion. Recognizing his son’s talent, his father, Don Ignacio Cadena, worked to save enough money to buy him a Hohner accordion. With that prized instrument tucked inside a pillowcase, Chano and his father would walk from ranch to ranch, playing music for families and neighbors.
By the time he was in school in Alice, Cadena had formed his first conjunto. His earliest recordings were commercial jingles with producer Armando Marroquin, before moving on to session work and then recording his first records. In the 1960s and ’70s, Chano Cadena y Su Conjunto became a staple of the touring circuit, performing across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Florida.
Cadena shared the stage with conjunto greats including Tony de la Rosa and Paulino Bernal, and he helped launch the careers of several musicians who would go on to become legends themselves, such as Juan Sifuentes, Manuel Solis, and Ruben Naranjo. His most celebrated lineup came in the late ’60s with vocalists Tonio Vasquez and Fidel Cavazos. Through the 1980s and ’90s, he continued his success with the Canasta label out of Kingsville, Texas.
His contributions to Tejano and conjunto music were recognized many times over. Cadena was inducted into the Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame (2001), the Tejano Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum (2007), and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Tejano Conjunto Hall of Fame (2013).
Chano Cadena y su conjunto perform at 2024 Rancho Alegre Conjunto Music Festival in Austin, Texas.
Known for his technical skill, longevity, and dedication to the music, Chano Cadena’s influence spanned generations of musicians and fans alike. His passing comes just weeks after that of his brother, Ernesto “Neto” Cadena, who played bass alongside him on stage. Former lead vocalist for the band, Fito Flores, passed away in May.
Chano Cadena will forever be remembered as a Texas music legend, pure and simple.
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