TRUE TO HER ROOTS
Mexican-American singer Tish Hinojosa opens door to diverse Spanish music
Boston Herald, June'96
To see Tish Hinojosa perform live and to hear the way she uses her beautiful voice, you might think she's always been comfortable on stage. But it's been a gradual process for the Mexican-American singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist.
"I was not one of those kids in high school that was most likely to succeed," she said. "I was pretty shy and introverted, but I was more of a watcher. I was watching how these girls that were extroverts were embarrassed to get in front of a church and sing. I'd kind of hide behind them with my guitar and really let them have the front seat, but I guess I was learning a lot even then.
Hinojosa, who returns Thursday to Johnny D's in Somerville, has become an artist who deftly blends and styles of music: folk, country, pop, conjunto and more. She has carved her niche in Spanish-language music, favoring a roots-oriented sound unlike the more mainstream pop style of the late Tejano singer Selena, and she has always honored her cultural heritage within her music, unlike Linda Ronstadt's occasional trips back to the Spanish language of her ancestors.
After graduating from high school in San Antonio, Texas, Hinojosa pushed herself to become her own spokeswoman and get jobs playing in bars.
"Walking on-stage and sing in a crowded bar where people weren't listening was one of those things where I'd get sweaty palms and go, "Why did I do this?" she recalled. "But I'd do it and then start singing and then people would start listening and come put dollars in the tin jar, and at the end of the night, I'd feel good about what I did."
Hinojosa, 40, now has several CDs out, including the Dreaming From the Labyrinth (Sonar del Laberinto) on Warner Bros. She's sung in both Spanish and English in the past, and mixes the two languages on every song on the new disc.
"My point is to kind of open the door to seeing that the Hispanic culture is very diverse," said Hinojosa, who recorded all-Spanish and bilingual children's CDs for Cambridge's Rounder Records prior to the release of "Labyrinth."
"It's so large that it's like calling anything that's in English 'American music.' You just can't, because there's so many different categories of tastes that people have. ... There's actually a contemporary folk singer-songwriter kind of element to Spanish, more so than just thinking that the Spanish language has to be Tejano of conjunto or Julio Iglesias."
Hinojosa's new songs weave emotions, aspirations and memories through cultural and natural landscapes. Guitarist Marvin Dykhuis and keyboardist-accordionist Chip Dolan, who provide much of the musical atmosphere on "Labyrinth," will accompany Hinojosa at Johnny D's.
Despite the little support from mainstream radio, her career has expanded over the years, thanks to the quality of her CDs and concerts, positive press, recognition by public radio and strong word-of-mouth recommendations.
"Everything I've ever done has been very organic and something that I cared a lot about," she said.. "And so the fans or the following that I do acquire really stay with me... and they turn other people on to the music."
Hinojosa, who now resides in Austin, Texas, said "People just blossom at different times." And she ought to know.
"If I could see myself now 20 years ago, when I was 20, to think that I would be on a major label, producing my record, writing all the songs and seeing the content of the subjects that these songs are about, I'd kind of be flabbergasted, I guess," she said, laughing.
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