Anselmo "El Chemiro" Martínez (April 21, 1927 – July 18, 2020) was a Tejano singer and songwriter. Martínez gained prominence in the mid-1960s recording orchestra music influenced by Glenn Miller and subsequently introducing the style coast to coast as he toured and recorded original compositions. He had released 13 albums and 248 original songs, performing into his 80s and writing 261 Gospel songs, and releasing 5 gospel CDs. He was the President of The Guadalupanos at St. Gabriel’s Church. Anselmo “El Chemiro” Martínez was an inductee to the TTMA Tejano Hall of Fame.
Career Born in Dunlay, Texas and raised in the Central part of Texas, Martinez followed in his father Jesus Martínez' footsteps, originally from Morelos, Coahuila, Mexico. In 1949, he began with a small Conjunto called Conjunto Gauna and debut their performance on KVOU radio in Uvalde, Texas. He slowly began climbing the charts with his original hit "Caminos Chuecos" on 45 rpm record with the recording called "Nadie Nos Separara" on flip side.
In the late 1960s, Anselmo Martínez was at the pinnacle of his career with an orchestrated sound of trumpets and saxophones combined with his own original style. Inspired by the Glenn Miller Band during his younger years, Martínez incorporated his written arrangements to accompany more than 250 Spanish compositions of his own. Traveling the United States from Coast to Coast for more than 15 years, Anselmo Martínez has performed extensively in 40 states.
Martínez released "Admirando A mi padre" under AMI Music Group in San Antonio, Texas. This recording is a father-and-son release with producer and label CEO Jonny Martinez and hearkens back to Anselmo's career by re-recording Caminos Chuecos and some of his major hits along with the orchestra style of the 1950s that Martínez recorded.
At the age of 88, Martínez was included in the Tejano Legends Cruise to perform on Carnival Cruise Lines in January 2016.
Martinez died on July 18, 2020, at the age of 93.
Discography Albums in order from newest to oldest
Admirando A Mi Padre Caminos Chuecos Un Raton Hasta Que Llegaste El Paraiso Amorcito Consentido No Olvides Que te quiero Mi Nombre Completo Jamaican me Crazy Anoche Te Quiero Dar Mi Amor Mi Ranchito Los Laureles
Caminos Chuecos Caminos Chuecos Carino Santo Un Amor que se quiere LLoro Por ti Nuestros Besos Nadie Nos Separara I'm in the mood for love El Mar el la esperanza Besame Te Vi La Prueba No Me sigas enganado
Se Vale La Pena No Quiero Seguir Sufriendo Que Bonito Ahora Que Tengo Dinero La Yegua Ajena Volver Volver Hay Unos Ojos Tu Tienes La Culpa Me Toco Perder Cuenta Aparte Dile Mal Pasado De Amor Hasta El Fin Quedo Triste Y Abandonado Leyenda Macabra Tristes Corazones Me Cambio Por El Dinero Aunque Estes Tan Lejos
El Chemiro Te Quiero Te Extraño Dueña De Mi Corazon Prison De Botellas El Panadero Me Agarro Contigo Sirveme Otra Cantinero Rosalva De Leon Perdoname Morena De Mi Vida Pobre Desdichado Tu Retrato Entre Botellas De Vino Por Tu Culpa Corrido Me Ha Robado El Corazon Harto
El Trovador Tejano La Cruz De Vidrio La Condena Esta Noche Me Encuentro Borracho El Indio Maldita Suerte El Bilongo Mi Cielo Gris Mi Ultimo Trago Llore Llore Voy A Navegar Lleno De Recuerdos Prefiero Morir Copa Tras Copa La Ultima Botella La Novedad
Honors
Tejano Music Awards (1984) – "Inducted into Hall of Fame" Radio Latin Charts (1964) – "Single of the Year" for "Caminos Chuecos" Tejano Music Hall of Fame (1987) Texas Musicians Museum Hall of Fame(2010) Austin Museum of Arts(2011) Gold Album Award for Lifetime Achievement (2012)
References
Burr, Ramiro (1999). "Anselmo Martinez". In The Billboard Guide to Tejano and Regional Mexican Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York's Billboard Books, (). pp. 64.
External links