Dodi Mercado | Courtesy photo
Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dorothy Marie Mercado, better known as “Dodi,” began piano lessons at 9 years old and continued into college playing classical music. She studied guitar with Mike De Leon as a young teenager and was the rhythm guitarist in his all-girls band with Nancy Silva. As a young freshman at Fox Tech High School, playing clarinet, she became the first sophomore lead Drum Major of the Marching Band. At 19, she was the female singer and keyboardist for a southern rock band in San Antonio. After the band split up, she began writing Christian songs and New Age music for the “Church of Positive Thinking” in Alamo Heights.
Inspired by the Queen of Tejano Music, Dodi wrote her first Latin piece, titled “Rosario,” the night of Selena’s passing, with the help of a Spanish-speaking neighbor, who translated English to Spanish lyrics. After “Rosario,” she continued to write polkas and cumbias for the next nine months. Still to this day, she does not speak Spanish but continues to write Spanish lyrics, with the help of friends. Her first recent recording was written 28 years ago.
Wanting her polkas to have the royal sound of classic Tejano, she turned to producer Mario Ortiz Jr, who was introduced to her by journalist, Delmi Nieto. After Delmi listened to 13 songs, from start to finish in a restaurant parking lot. At 10:30 pm, the two drove to Baby Grand Records to meet the legendary Ortiz, “El Magico.”
And so the first single titled “Amarte” was released on April 25, 2023, in honor of her two daughters’ birthday. Being born on February 4, 1964, Dodi is 59. And her wish is to send a message, that one is never too old to write a song and share it with the world.
“After I read these lyrics, I liked that the traditional role of the marriage proposal was reversed from man to woman. Since day one I wanted it to have a royal introduction, like a Jay Perez polka. I chose to release ‘Amarte,’ first under the advice of my 13-year-old granddaughter who said: ‘It sounds happy’,” stated Dodi Mercado.
Loving her culture, she wants to contribute to the Tejano Industry, by bringing her own style with her quirky Spanish accent and leaving her musical legacy to her children. You can keep up with Dodi on all social media platforms. The next single is expected to be released in late June 2023.
Dodi Mercado — “Amarte”
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