Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame Laura Canales Tribute Performance | Video: YouTube/Joseph Gonzalez
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ALICE, TX — The Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame honored late Tejano legend Laura Canales with a tribute performance by Marisela Hernandez during the ceremony of the 2022 class of inductees in Alice, Texas on Jan 7, 2023.
Hernandez performed a medley of hits during the 17-minute performance celebrating the “Queen of Tejano,” who was an original inductee into the Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame in 2000. Canales was a pioneer and trendsetter during the early days of Tejano music recording many hit songs and albums. She died of complications following routine gallbladder surgery at the age of 50 on April 16, 2005, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was the first massively popular female singer in the macho world of Tejano music, following the pioneering careers of Chelo Silva and Lydia Mendoza.
“I am so thankful to all of the beautiful people who had a huge part in making this show a success,” exclaimed Hernandez. “To my husband Johnny Hernandez who as always, puts in 1,000% of his energy, hard work, blood & sweat into making things happen for me! I love you! o my awesome talented musical Director George Ochoa for all the preparation of the music, and my awesome super talented musician friends Jimmy Cano, and Jaime Flores for your dedication to this show.”
Hernandez released a two-song Laura Canales medley in 2019 and re-released it to digital music platforms last year. The former Rio Grande Valley radio personality began her career as a backup vocalist for Jimmy Gonzalez Y Grupo Mazz in 2001 and recorded backup vocals for Tex-Mex Kadillaks in 2008. She has released a few solo singles over the past couple of years as she plans a full-length solo debut album.
David Olivarez, Machy De La Garza of La Conquista, Ruben De La Cruz, and many others are among the 70 honorees inducted into the Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame during a Noche de Fiesta ceremony.
Since 2000, the non-profit organization Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall Of Fame, which R.O.O.T.S. stands for Remembering Our Own Tejano Stars, honors musicians, songwriters, producers, broadcasters, and supporters of the Tejano music industry. The Tejano ROOTS Hall Of Fame located in Alice, Texas, the birthplace of Tejano music, displays artifacts musical instruments, photographs, stage costumes, and other materials honoring Tejano music.
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