Anselmo Martinez

Anselmo Martinez
Background information
Birth nameAnselmo Martínez
Born(1927-04-21)April 21, 1927
Dunlay, Texas
DiedJuly 18, 2020(2020-07-18) (aged 93)
San Antonio, TX
GenresTejano
InstrumentVocals
Years active1949-???, 2015-2017

Anselmo "El Chemiro" Martínez was a Tejano singer and songwriter. Martínez gained prominence in the mid-1960s recording orchestra music influenced by Glenn Miller and subsequently introducing the style coast to coast as he toured and recorded original compositions. He had released 13 albums and 248 original songs, performing into his 80s and writing 261 Gospel songs, and releasing 5 gospel CDs. He was the President of The Guadalupanos at St. Gabriel’s Church. Anselmo “El Chemiro” Martínez was an inductee to the TTMA Tejano Hall of Fame.

Career

Born in Dunlay, Texas and raised in the Central part of Texas, Martinez followed in his father Jesus Martínez' footsteps, originally from Morelos, Coahuila, Mexico. In 1949, he began with a small Conjunto called Conjunto Gauna and debut their performance on KVOU radio in Uvalde, Texas. He slowly began climbing the charts with his original hit "Caminos Chuecos" on 45rpm record with the recording called "Nadie Nos Separara" on flip side.

In the late 1960s, Anselmo Martínez was at the pinnacle of his career with an orchestrated sound of trumpets and saxophones combined with his own original style. Inspired by the Glenn Miller Band during his younger years, Martínez incorporated his written arrangements to accompany more than 250 Spanish compositions of his own. Traveling the United States from Coast to Coast for more than 15 years, Anselmo Martínez has performed extensively in 40 states.

Martínez released "Admirando A mi padre" under AMI Music Group in San Antonio, Texas. This recording is a father-and-son release with producer and label CEO Jonny Martinez and hearkens back to Anselmo's career by re-recording Caminos Chuecos and some of his major hits along with the orchestra style of the 1950s that Martínez recorded.

At the age of 88, Martínez was included in the Tejano Legends Cruise to perform on Carnival Cruise Lines in January 2016.

Anselmo Martinez passed away on July 18th 2020 at the age of 93.[1]

Discography

Albums in order from newest to oldest

Admirando A Mi Padre

  1. Caminos Chuecos
  2. Un Raton
  3. Hasta Que Llegaste
  4. El Paraiso
  5. Amorcito Consentido
  6. No Olvides Que te quiero
  7. Mi Nombre Completo
  8. Jamaican me Crazy
  9. Anoche
  10. Te Quiero Dar Mi Amor
  11. Mi Ranchito
  12. Los Laureles

Caminos Chuecos

  1. Caminos Chuecos
  2. Carino Santo
  3. Un Amor que se quiere
  4. LLoro Por ti
  5. Nuestros Besos
  6. Nadie Nos Separara
  7. I'm in the mood for love
  8. El Mar el la esperanza
  9. Besame
  10. Te Vi La Prueba
  11. No Me sigas enganado

Se Vale La Pena

  1. No Quiero Seguir Sufriendo
  2. Que Bonito
  3. Ahora Que Tengo Dinero
  4. La Yegua Ajena
  5. Volver Volver
  6. Hay Unos Ojos
  7. Tu Tienes La Culpa
  8. Me Toco Perder
  9. Cuenta Aparte
  10. Dile
  11. Mal Pasado De Amor
  12. Hasta El Fin
  13. Quedo Triste Y Abandonado
  14. Leyenda Macabra
  15. Tristes Corazones
  16. Me Cambio Por El Dinero
  17. Aunque Estes Tan Lejos

El Chemiro

  1. Te Quiero Te Extraño
  2. Dueña De Mi Corazon
  3. Prison De Botellas
  4. El Panadero
  5. Me Agarro Contigo
  6. Sirveme Otra Cantinero
  7. Rosalva De Leon
  8. Perdoname
  9. Morena De Mi Vida
  10. Pobre Desdichado
  11. Tu Retrato
  12. Entre Botellas De Vino
  13. Por Tu Culpa
  14. Corrido
  15. Me Ha Robado El Corazon
  16. Harto

El Trovador Tejano

  1. La Cruz De Vidrio
  2. La Condena
  3. Esta Noche Me Encuentro Borracho
  4. El Indio
  5. Maldita Suerte
  6. El Bilongo
  7. Mi Cielo Gris
  8. Mi Ultimo Trago
  9. Llore Llore
  10. Voy A Navegar
  11. Lleno De Recuerdos
  12. Prefiero Morir
  13. Copa Tras Copa
  14. La Ultima Botella
  15. La Novedad

Honors

TTMA present to give Anselmo Martínez Lifetime Achievement Award 2012
  • Tejano Music Awards (1984) - "Inducted into Hall of Fame"
  • Radio Latin Charts (1964) - "Single of the Year" for "Caminos Chuecos"
  • Tejano Music Hall of Fame (1987)
  • Texas Musicians Museum Hall of Fame(2010)
  • Austin Museum of Arts(2011)
  • Gold Album Award for Lifetime Achievement (2012)

References

  1. ^ Medina, John Henry (2020-07-18). "Tejano music legend Anselmo 'El Chemiro' Martínez passes away at 93". Tejano Nation. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  • Burr, Ramiro (1999). "Anselmo Martinez". In The Billboard Guide to Tejano and Regional Mexican Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York's Billboard Books, (ISBN 0823076911). pp. 64.