By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum (TCMHFM), located at 402 West Robertson Street in San Benito, is accustomed to welcoming international artists and guests due to its proximity to the US-Mexico border.
In fact, museum staff have welcomed European guests in the past. But last Thursday’s guest was special in his own right, as rarely, if ever, has a guest with Honorio Imamura’s combination of credentials, talent, and nationality passed through the museum’s doors.
With glee beaming from the youthful retiree’s eyes every step of the way, Imamura, a native of Japan, toured the facility, absorbing every detail and artifact on display that celebrated the history of Conjunto music.
Guided by brother-sister duo Pedro and Patricia Avila, whose father, Rey Avila, founded the TCMHFM, and joined by his childhood friend, Hiroharu Imazaike, who accompanied him on the trip from Japan, Imamura, who’s a member of the acclaimed Conjunto group, Conjunto J, felt album covers and absorbed liner notes, using his trusty translation app.
In broken English, Imamura explained that he was introduced to the music genre as a teen in Japan and fell in love with it for its uplifting beats and the spirit that encourages listeners to dance. He added that American music — regardless of genre –– as well as art, entertainment, and culture– are among the top Western imports to Japan.
The retired architect-turned-consultant’s primary purpose in the States was to perform at the Guadalupe Cultural Center’s 44th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio, where this year’s event held a special tribute to the legendary accordionist Flaco Jimenez, who died on July 31 of last year.
He found it an opportune time to visit the museum and Resaca City before heading to San Antonio, where he was scheduled to perform on Sunday.
But for one day last Thursday, the Japanese contingency enjoyed some Rio Grande Valley charm and hospitality from the Avilas, who offered tamales and some of the best pan dulce La Especial has to offer, along with famed accordionist Juan Antonio Tapia and Zeth Lara, who joined Imamura in an epic jam session that continued into the evening.
The TCMHFM is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, archiving, documenting, and permanently displaying the history of Texas Conjunto regional folk music for the benefit of future generations.
Since its founding, the TCMHFM has inducted more than 100 artists into its Hall of Fame.
In 2023, the TCMHFM relocated from the San Benito Community Building to the Aztec building at 402 W. Robertson St. in the historic San Benito Robertson St. District.
The hall of fame and museum was designated a Blue Star Museum, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America, to offer free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve, and their families each summer.
For more information, contact Patricia Avila at (956) 945-5005.
