Courtesy of Panhandle PBS
“The West Texas Boys” is a new documentary feature about the Peña brothers from Dimmitt, Texas. Panhandle PBS will premiere the film at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 5.
“The West Texas Boys” tells the inspiring story of six brothers who transitioned from migrant farm laborers to Regional Mexican musicians as Los Hermanos Peña. The documentary captures their brief but remarkable rise to success and the unbreakable bond that sustained them through it all. It redefines the “American Dream” through the resilience and perspective of a Mexican-American family from West Texas.
The film follows the Peña brothers through many stages of life, from children traveling around the country helping their parents harvest crops, to adolescents finding their footing with varying musical instruments. It also navigates a time of racial injustice in the Texas Panhandle, their rise to fame, the lulls and changes in their careers, and grappling with momentous loss both as band members and brothers.
“A lot of people think our story’s about a band,” said Gilbert Peña. “But really, it’s about a bunch of brothers never giving up.”
The doc revolves around the family, now in their 50s and 60s, and the relationship formed among them as teenagers. Although not “famous,” their dreams allowed them to escape a life of migrant farm labor in the South. The brothers had major success after an appearance on the Johnny Canales show, the premier program for Mexican music at the time. Though, as with all things, the high didn’t last as the band had to deal with a series of events that ended any chance at fortune but also helped them become even closer as a unit. In 2020, they were inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame, and their brotherhood has kept the family together, changing the perception of what “living the American Dream” truly means.
“The West Texas Boys” has received national and international recognition. The film was named Best Documentary at Indie House Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain, and was an official selection for Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, AL, and Viva Texas Film Festival in Victoria, TX, among others.
Panhandle PBS is hosting a special premiere screening of “The West Texas Boys” at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 15 at the Concert Hall Theatre on the Washington Street Campus of Amarillo College. Following the screening, members of the band will take part in a question and answer session led by Adán Peña, the director of “The West Texas Boys” and son of Gilbert Peña. Tickets for this event are on sale now for $15 per person. Doors will open at 6:30, and refreshments will be provided prior to the screening. Visit panhandlePBS.org to learn more or purchase tickets.
“The West Texas Boys” will premiere at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 5 on Panhandle PBS. Following the premiere, the documentary will be available on Panhandle PBS Passport and the Panhandle PBS YouTube channel. The documentary will also premiere on all Texas PBS stations in February 2025 as part of the “Made in Texas” content initiative. For more information, visit panhandlePBS.org/WestTexasBoys.
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