“El Charro Negro” Bobby Butler (Photo by Lupe Moya)
As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s essential to honor trailblazers who broke boundaries and made lasting impacts in music and culture. Bobby Butler, known to Tejano fans as “El Charro Negro,” is one such figure whose legacy continues to influence the genre.
Born Robert Butler in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on October 14, 1937, Butler’s journey from the cotton fields of the segregated South to becoming one of Tejano music’s pioneering Black artists is a testament to resilience, talent, and breaking down racial barriers in music.
Early Struggles and Cultural Discovery
Growing up in a poor Black family in the South, Butler experienced hardship from an early age. By seven, he was working in the hot sun picking cotton, sometimes alongside his mother and younger brother. However, it was in those cotton fields where he would first connect with Mexican laborers. While he didn’t understand the Spanish lyrics, Butler found solace in the music they shared, learning to sing in Spanish and connecting with the emotional depth of the songs. This bond with Mexican workers planted the seeds for his future career in Tejano music, a genre that would later become his calling.
Bobby Butler | Credit: Ruben Cubillos
A Path to Music: Blues, Chuck Berry, and a Move to Texas
In his college years, Butler played with the blues band Chester Juydan and the Hot Brown Boys, which led to an exciting stint opening for rock legend Chuck Berry. But, after his scholarship expired and financial struggles forced him back home, Butler’s life took a turn. Moving to Temple, Texas, to escape the temptations of inner-city life, Butler worked for the city’s sanitation department and continued pursuing his musical passion.
In 1961, fate introduced Butler to “Little Joe” Hernandez, leader of the popular band Little Joe and the Latinaires, through a coworker. Initially a drummer, Butler was soon invited to sing for the band. When Butler sang “La Enorme Distancia,” a challenging Tejano ballad he had learned in the cotton fields, Little Joe was so impressed that he immediately asked Butler to sing more. The crowd loved him, and his journey in Tejano music had begun.
Little Joe and the Latinaires | Facebook/Little Joe Y La Familia
Breaking Barriers as “El Charro Negro”
While Butler’s vocal talent was undeniable, his inclusion in the Latinaires came with its own set of challenges. At the time, racism and segregation were rampant, and many places refused to let a Black man perform, even though the band was well-received. Despite the adversity, Little Joe, who initially hesitated to let Butler join due to racial barriers, soon realized that Butler’s musical gifts and charisma were too invaluable to ignore. It was during this time that Little Joe gave him the nickname “El Charro Negro,” or “The Black Cowboy,” reflecting Butler’s seamless blending of Tejano music with his own unique style.
In an era where racial discrimination often limited opportunities for Black musicians, Butler’s success was groundbreaking. He faced resistance from some Mexican-American audiences, but the Latinaires refused to perform anywhere that would deny Butler entry based on his race, showing a unity that transcended color lines.
Courtesy photo
A Career of Triumphs and Struggles
Butler’s journey wasn’t without its struggles. After facing personal challenges, including a failed marriage, he moved back to St. Louis to care for his ailing mother. However, in 1973, a call from trumpet player Tony “Ham” Guerrero led him back to Texas, where he co-founded the legendary band Tortilla Factory in San Angelo. Over the next decades, Butler continued to innovate in Tejano music, blending his blues and soul influences into the genre and pushing its boundaries.
Tortilla Factory became known for its Latin jazz-infused sound, and although the band went on hiatus for 23 years, they reunited in 2009 and 2010, releasing Grammy-nominated albums All That Jazz and Cookin’. Tragically, Guerrero passed away in 2011, halting the band’s comeback, but Butler’s contribution to Tejano music was already cemented. In 2016, at the age of 78, Butler passed away, but his legacy lives on.
Tortilla Factory featuring Bobby Butler at Chicano Festival in Houston, Texas.
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A Lasting Legacy
In recognition of his trailblazing contributions to Tejano music, Butler received several honors, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Talent Musicians Association and induction into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame. He was known not only for his vocal prowess but also for breaking racial boundaries in a genre often dominated by Mexican-Americans. His courage in the face of adversity opened doors for other Black musicians in the Tejano scene, including Dee Burleson of Culturas and Marcus Daniels, who has since joined the next generation of Tortilla Factory, led by Guerrero’s son Alfredo Guerrero, in honor of Butler’s legacy.
Bobby Butler’s influence will forever be felt in the Tejano community and beyond. As we celebrate Black History Month, we recognize him not only as an extraordinary singer and musician but also as a symbol of perseverance, cultural exchange, and the power of music to unite and uplift. Through his life and career, Butler helped reshape Tejano music, leaving a lasting imprint that continues to inspire future generations of musicians and fans alike.
The story of Bobby Butler is a reminder of the importance of diversity in all forms of art and culture. As “El Charro Negro,” he showed that music knows no color, and his groundbreaking contributions will never be forgotten.
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