Rancho Alegre Interview with Beatriz Llamas

Rancho Alegre

Beatriz Llamas, La Paloma Del Norte, passed away yesterday, May 15, 2023. This interview was recorded at her home in San Antonio in June 2015.

Known as La Paloma Del Norte, Beatriz was the first female recording artist on the storied Tejano record label Bego Records. Her strong, passionate voice, ever-present cat-eye makeup, and engaging stage presence made an indelible impression on Tejano and Conjunto fans all over Texas and beyond beginning in the early 1960s.

Conducted by our own Baldomero "El Parrandero" Cuellar, the interview is entirely in Spanish. But, even if you don't understand the language, her zest for life and her personality shine through and it's just fun to listen to. You can especially tell how absolutely smitten he was just talking with her. We also have a passable English transcription available on our website.

At the 2015 Tejano-Conjunto Festival en San Antonio, Beatriz delighted the crowd with a special performance, backed up by the iconic Eva Ybarra y Su Conjunto Siempre.

After (but not because of) our interview in 2015, some pretty amazing things happened for Beatriz. With help from San Antonio's Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Beatriz and her musical sisters Perla Tapatia, Rita Vidaurri and Blanca Rodriguez were featured in a documentary called Las Tesoros de San Antonio: A Westside Story, and performed all over the country. In 2019, as the surviving members of the group, Blanca and Beatriz were honored with the prestigious NEA National Heritage Fellowship and performed in Washington, DC.

Music played in this episode:

Dios Me Libre - Los Fabulosos Cuatro with Beatrice [sic] Llamas

Hambre - Los Fabulosos Cuatro with Beatrice Llamas

Caso Perdido - Beatriz Llamas with Los Dos Gilbertos

Distancia Maldita - Beatriz Llamas

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