Valerio Longoria - Legacy of a Maestro

Legacy features interviews with Longoria, Dr. Catherine Ragland and Juan Tejeda. Ragland’s expertise into these border genres cannot be overstated. While others make vague or basic talking points, Ragland takes her time to explain the subtleties of the subjects at hand. It’s been said by many that Longoria was one of the first border-accordionists to add songs to his repertoire. Ragland elaborates on that point, saying that there were other accordionists before and during Longoria’s time that were already singing in cantinas (bars). She states that what set Longoria apart from his peers was that he wasn’t doing the singing at cantinas; he was performing at respectable dances and in the recording studio. Also, while those other musicians were singing rancheras, Longoria would be singing romantic pieces in the form of boleros. Ragland mentions the close relationship that is shared by migrant farmworkers and conjunto music. She points out how musicians were bringing the music and culture