Local musician dies, leaves legacy

DONNA — A local musician renowned for his pioneer work in the conjunto music genre died Saturday.

Pedro Ayala Jr., 62, died unexpectedly of a heart attack over the weekend. Ayala is best known for his charisma and showmanship as the accordion-playing front man of his family band Conjunta Hermanos Ayala.

He and his family are credited with popularizing conjunto, a kind of Mexican-American music that has been influenced by the music of German immigrants to Texas and that features the accordion in addition to Mexican elements.

Playing together and learning from their father, Ayala and his brothers began playing instruments at the age of 6. Ramon Ayala said his father instilled in his brother some musicianship, but Ayala Jr. was largely self-taught.

Ayala Sr. was inducted into the Smithsonian Institution as a representative of conjunto in 1988. Ayala Jr. attended the induction, playing at the event and also at the White House during the Reagan presidency.

Ramon, Pedro’s brother and bandmate, said he and his brothers grew up touring the country playing conjunto together. The three Ayala sons eventually created their own band, touring and performing on local television.

“In 1959 we first started recording, but we would travel to shows, traveling at least six months out of the year,” Ramon said.

In 1959 the brothers recorded the song Ojitos De Trigueña. Ayala Jr. also accompanied other famous artists such as Lydia Mendoza and Freddy Fender on musical tracks for their own records.

“He was part of the movement. He helped create the music in the Valley,” said Ayala Jr.’s nephew, Pete Ayala. “They played everywhere and some really big shows over the last nearly 60 years.”

In the ’80s the group slowed down to spend more time at home. They picked up jobs locally but continued to play together and perform. Although the time and genres had changed, Ayala Jr. continued honing his music. Becoming his own studio artist, he created CDs; his latest was Saludos del Valle.

“He was the voice of the band — the accordion drives the music,” Pete said.

Ramon said his brother took conjunto further than the foundations their father had created.

“He could compose anything, anywhere. He advanced the music, experimenting with it. He made it more progressive, added jazz elements and more notes,” Ramon said.

Ramon said his fondest memories of his brother are when they performed during the ‘60s. Cracking a smile and wearing a wistful expression, Ramon said he remembers the fun they had playing together.

“My father was playing with us then, so we had two accordions — it was lively, a lot of competition.”

Services for Ayala Jr. will be Thursday night and Friday morning at Sunset Funeral Home in San Antonio. He is survived by his wife, Marcela Meave Ayala of Donna, and his two children, Raymond and Marisol of San Antonio.

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Rachel Flarity covers general assignments at The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4447.