Music of New Mexico

This article is about music from the state of New Mexico. For the music genre, see New Mexico music.

New Mexico is a state of the Southwest United States. The state has music traditions dating back to the ancient Anasazi and Pueblo people, Navajo, Apache, and the Spanish Santa Fe de Nuevo México; these old traditions are found in both their original folk forms and as a modern folk genre known as New Mexico music. In the 1940s town of Clovis was home to the Norman Petty Studios, where Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and Waylon Jennings recorded.[1] Perhaps the first well-known group hailing from New Mexico was The Fireballs scoring a #1 Hot 100 hit in 1963 called "Sugar Shack".[2] Native American Rock group Xit, were signed and recorded "Plight of the Redman" (1972) and "Silent Warrior" in (1973) for a subsidiary of Motown Records, "Rare Earth Records".[3] During the 70s and 80s, New Mexico musicians Al Hurricane and Al Hurricane, Jr. became recognized on the nationally syndicated Val De La O Show.[4]

The English-language state song of New Mexico is "O Fair New Mexico", adopted by the state legislature in 1917. In 1971, "Así es Nuevo México" was adopted as the Spanish-language state song. In 1989, the legislature adopted "Land of Enchantment" by Michael Martin Murphey as the official state ballad; and in 1995, the legislature adopted "New Mexico - Mi Lindo Nuevo México" by Pablo Mares as the state's official bilingual state song.[5]

History

New Mexico's heritage studies and inquiries into the unique past of the area reveal that the violin was introduced into New Mexico long before Europeans brought polka and other folk forms to the east coast; several studies confirm the long history of violin playing in New Mexico.[6][7][8] The New Mexico Musical Heritage Project continues to play the music of early New Mexico, while learning the violin building techniques used in the pueblos to convert the natives through music.[9]

Genres

Country music

New Mexico's country music heritage includes Red River's Michael Martin Murphey, a cowboy singer and popular local attraction, as well as the Old West town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The town of Ruidoso is home to the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium.[10] Glen Campbell started his career by playing guitar with his uncle in Albuquerque bars. More recently a country/Americana duo Handsome Family moved from Chicago to Albuquerque, making it their home.

Native American music

Native American music is represented by Taos Pueblo's Robert Mirabal who received two Grammy Awards.[11]

Orchestral and classical music

The New Mexico Philharmonic continues the long tradition of the now defunct New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, who had been performing since 1932.[12][13] Other Classical music institutions in the state include the Taos School of Music, the Santa Fe Community Orchestra and the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

Rock music

In 2002, a song called "New Slang" was heard on TV commercials across the country. The group was The Shins, which became a perennial favorite among indie folk/pop/rock fans worldwide.[14] The next international success came when a young Santa Fe and Albuquerque resident Zach Condon formed an ethno/world influenced band called Beirut.[15]

Music festivals

The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to the Santa Fe International Festival of New Music, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Santa Fe Opera. Taos is home to the Taos Solar Music Festival. June is the month for many festivals in New Mexico. Besides Taos Solar Music Festival at the end of June, there is Southwest Roots Music Festival, also called the Thirsty Ear Music Festival that takes place in the middle of June just outside Santa Fe at the famous western movie set. Festival features well-known artists representing the roots of folk, blues, bluegrass, and world music.

Another festival in New Mexico is Globalquerque taking place at the end of every September since 2005 at the Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. It features music from all continents (folk/ethno/pop) as well as some Native American and Hispanic acts.

Small venues

In Las Cruces, Starbucks coffee shop is known for hosting an open mic on Friday or Sunday nights. Popular artists at these venues include the group: "Raw Material," as well as Clay King, a local guitar player, Codeword Zefferina, and Jon Paz, a local multi-instrumentalist.

Red River in Northern New Mexico has a Bluesfest in early June and Larry Joe Taylor's Music Festival and Chili Cookoff featuring well-known songwriters such as Richard Leigh, Keith Sykes, Joe Ely and Michael Hearn.

In Taos, the Taos Inn host nightly music performances.

Musicians

Musicians and bands associated with New Mexico include:

Notes

  1. Lehmer, L. (2003). The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Schirmer Trade Books. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-8256-7287-3. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  2. "History". The Fireballs. January 4, 1960. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  3. Wright-McLeod, B. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet. University of Arizona Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-8165-2448-8. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  4. DeLaO, V (May 4, 2014). "Entrevista Anthony Quinn". The Val De La O Show. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  5. "State Songs". Dianna J Duran - New Mexico Secretary of State. March 25, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  6. Lozano, T.; Montoya, R. (2007). Cantemos Al Alba: (in Spanish). University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-3874-7. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  7. Robb, J.D. (1980). Hispanic Folk Music of New Mexico and the Southwest: A Self-portrait of a People. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-1492-7. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  8. Weigle, M.; White, P. (2003). The Lore of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-8263-3157-1. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  9. "New Mexico Musical Heritage Project". Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  10. Byron, Janet (1996). Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A. (1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-14300-1.
  11. "Robert Mirabal and the Jemez Pueblo Dancers in: Blue Corn - The Journey". NMT Performing Arts Series. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  12. "History". New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved December 7, 2005.
  13. "New Mexico Philharmonic". New Mexico Philharmonic. October 11, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  14. "The Shins". The Shins. May 9, 2005. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  15. "An Interview with Zach Condon & Jason of Beirut". BrooklynVegan. June 29, 2006. Retrieved September 29, 2014.

External links

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