GREENSBORO – Legendary singer-songwriter Tish Hinojosa brought the richness of Southwestern American musical traditions to Greensboro all the way from Tuscon, Ariz., and Austin, Texas, last Sunday evening at the Highland Center for the Arts. She was accompanied by her long-time fellow musician Chip Dolan on piano and accordion, the Ronstadt brothers Pete and Stephen, sons of Linda Ronstadt’s brother, on guitar and cello/guitar/mandolin respectively and Vermonter Paul Asbel, filling in for Marvin Dykhuis, her regular guitarist for decades. Together they formed a dynamic ensemble of experienced artists who were very personable and developed a genuine rapport with the audience.
photo by Paul Fixx
Tish Hinojosa was born in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico before the 1940s. Their strong work ethic is described in the song, “The West Side of Town,” as having “made a good life the hard way,” “proud and strong.”
Over the many years she has been performing, she has recorded 18 albums, her latest entitled, “With a Guitar and a Pen.”
Their first number was a religious song about needing Jesus, sung by Hinojosa and the Ronstadt brothers. “Certain Night” was a love song in Spanish having a laid-back and ambiance, with several accordion interludes.
Another tune in Spanish expressed missing one’s homeland, with a lilting rhythm. “San Antonian Rodeo” had a toe tapping beat that would be great to dance to, while “The Horse in the Barn” evokes the freedom and beauty of the dramatic landscape of the Southwest.
“He Was a Wild One” was a portrait of a horse growing old, who in his day was a cowboy’s friend, loved rodeos and parades, and moved with real grace. A song about pollution from a copper mine combined a bouncy rhythm with a true tragedy.
One of the many original melodies written by Hinojosa in this concert was “With a Guitar and a Pen,” an energetic piece recalling the tears and laughter of being a traveling musician, especially with her guitarist Marvin Dykhuis.
Stephen Rondstadt composed the work, “Corner,” which looks forward to getting back together with someone while away on tour.
“This Cowboy Way” was created by Hinojosa for her wedding in 2020, about a cowboy out west under the stars, hoping for a better tomorrow.
“Canadian Moon” was one of the Rondstadt’s brothers father’s favorite songs, celebrating a love of the dessert. “Where I Go” was an empathetic number Hinojosa wrote in the late 1980s picturing someone making the dangerous journey across the border, who wants to send money back to his family. It had a nice swing and has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt.
The Ronstadt brothers then did a piece handed down from their grandfather, with Pete demonstrating his impressive breath control in one long held note.
“The West Side of Town” was referred to earlier as a brief history of Hinojosa’s parents struggling existence in San Antonio, a song with a positive beat.
After an enthusiastic standing ovation, Hinojosa and friends gave two encores, a Pete Seeger melody entitled “Festival of Flowers,” remembering a beautiful shared day where a couple were one with nature, and a farewell song in Spanish with the whole group coming to the front of the stage: a memorable evening of heartfelt music!
David K. Rodgers
David K. Rodgers is a writer, mason and card carrying dilettante, who dabbles and babbles in art. He has lived in East Craftsbury for the past 40 years.
