The music playing on this page was sung and played by Memo Carmona Macias (Solo lo entiende Dios)
Biography of MEMO CARMONA MACIAS
By
Mario Alberto
Memo
Carmona Macias was born on June 25th, 1947 in Ojinaga, Chihuahua,
Mexico. His parents were Benito Luis Carmona Previzo and Teresa Macias Parra.
Memo started studying music with Don Vicente Gutierrez (who also taught
many others including Cutberto Perez of Mariachi 2000) at the age of seven.
By the age of 13 he could read and write music as well as play trumpet
and saxophone. In the beginning,
Memo was not a mariachi trumpeter; he was into big band and swing.
At the age of 20 a good friend of his named Marto Juarez invited him to
join Mariachi Metropolitano de Ruben Padilla in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
It was at this time when Memo really learned his excellent mariachi
style. After a few years in Juarez, he went back to Ojinaga to continue his
studies to become a professor. After succeeding as a professor, he was awarded
the position of Principal of the school where he worked. After that
accomplishment and after some time, Marto again invited him to this time join
Mariachi Los Alamos en Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico.
It was in that same city years later, where he met and married Guadalupe
Venzor, with whom he formed a family consisting of three sons and a daughter.
After that Marto and Memo began to play with Mariachi Sinfonico de
Lorenzo “El Torito” Jauregui in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
They played with that group for a few years until they decided to move to
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico to form a new Mariachi named Mariachi del Real who
was managed by Antonio “El Chiquil” Rivera.
It
was not until 1971 that Memo traveled to Mexico City, Mexico and started playing
with Mariachi Monarcas. It was
during that time and in that area that he met and lived with one of his closest
friends, Cutberto Perez, who at the time played with Mariachi 2000.
It was shortly after that when Memo also recorded a commercial with
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan for the American beer “Pearl”.
Years later he traveled to Tucson, Arizona to work in a restaurant called
La Fuente where he played with Mariachi Zapopan.
Finally, after all this movement to and fro, he settled down permanently
with his wife and children in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Throughout the years thereafter, he played with various mariachis like
Mariachi Imperial 2000, Mariachi Tauros, Mariachi Los Caporales de Javier
Juarez, Mariachi Monarcas, Mariachi Los Alamos, Mariachi Arriba Chihuahua,
Mariachi los Mensajeros, and Mariachi Los Caporales de Sergio Ornelas with whom
he recorded a CD a year before his death. Throughout
his musical career he accompanied many famous Latin artists such as: Lucha
Villa, Aída Cuevas, Carlos Cuevas, Tony Meléndez, Paquita la del Barrio,
Maribel Guardia, Alicia Villareal, Marco Antonio Solís, Humberto Cravioto,
Soledad Acosta, Humberto Cabañas, Felipe Arriaga, Miguel Aceves Mejia, Lorenzo
de Monteclaro, Polo Urías, Beatriz Adriana, Lucila Mariscal, El Piporro,
Rosenda Bernal, Nelson Ned, Alberto Ángel el Cuervo, Rosa Gloria Chagoyan, and
Fernando de la Mora. He also knew
many famous Mariachi musicians such as: Federico Torres and Víctor” El Pato”
Cárdenas both from Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, and Jesús Rodríguez de
Hijar of Mariachi América.
I
met Memo in 2001 during a seminar in my home town Midland, TX while he was
teaching a group during practice. I
was so amazed by his playing ability and style that it inspired me to learn. I
will always remember the day that I asked him to teach me because his answer
amazed me even more. It was a
sincere “yes” and a “yes” from his heart.
My teacher, Memo, was one of the most humble men that I have ever met in
my life. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others involved in
the mariachi industry, Memo was not famous only because he did not want to be.
I thank God that from the day that I met him, I never lost contact with
him until the day he died. Even if
he was in Chihuahua and I was in Houston, I would call him every other day to
enrich my knowledge and talent with his. I
remember a time when I called him to ask him for the notes to the song “Los
Arrieros” and with humility and greatness Memo was there for me once again to
help me conserve and perfect our Mexican music. A few months ago I had the
opportunity to once again study with him by his side and as a memory, he left me
that unique playing style that I will always have with me and a few musical
arrangements that my mariachi will use on our first CD; but the most important
thing that Memo Carmona left me is a friendship that I will carry with me in my
heart forever while always admiring his name and Mariachi style. Everything I
know with respect to Mariachi is thanks to this great teacher and I know that in
his entire life, he was never given the recognition he deserved.
It is due to that fact that today, in his honor and memory, I have
decided to design this trumpet, with the help of Bill Beckmann and the Tombstone
Trumpet Company, to keep his legacy going because even though he never admitted
it, he was one of the best. This trumpet is for you, my beloved Memo.
This is my way of making you immortal, although even so, I will always
remember you and will always miss you. God Bless Mariachi music and God bless
Memo Carmona Macias.
RIP
Memo Carmona Macias
June 25th 1947-
January 14th 2008