Whatever Happened to Henry Zimmerle?

 

By Roberto Álvarez

 

For years, since 1952 to be exact, Henry Zimmerle has been a staple in conjunto music.
Perhaps, many people outside of Texas think he disappeared because he limits his long-distance touring. But the truth is that 2003 Tejano Conjunto Music inductee has never stopped performing. He just stays close to home narrowing his venues down to Lerma’s and the Royal Palace in San Antonio.

 

As for recordings, in the 21st century alone, he has released six new compact discs and two record companies have released four Zimmerle compilation CDs.
In addition, Zimmerle, who will turn 70 on June 17, shows no sign of slowing down.
“That’s right,” Zimmerle reaffirmed during an interview at the Royal Palace Ballroom following a photo session for Hacienda Records by Ramón Hernández.

 

Starting out with his pre-prepared biography, the singer-songwriter-bajo sexto player was born in the Alamo City to William “Henry” Zimmerle Sr., who also sang and played bajo sexto, recorded his first record at Hotel Mexico at the corner of Navarro and Travis streets in San Antonio. The 1928 recording, for Tomas Acuña, was on Blue Bird Records. In 1946, he and his brother Fred Zimmerle, Henry’s accordionist uncle, formed Trio San Antonio and recorded on Decca Records.

 

With two well-known conjunto music pioneers to influence him, it is no surprise Henry Jr. followed in their footsteps.
“I remember the people from Falcon Records used to come record at my grandmother’s (Anatasia) home with a portable one-track mono tape recorder,” the 59-year-old hall of fame inductee said.
“I also remember Santiago Jimenez Sr. coming over to practice at our home. That’s how I met Flaco (Jimenez), because my dad and he played together.”
He and Flaco hit it off so well, in 1952, they formed Los Caporales de Flaco Jimenez. The third member was Joe Ponce on bass. Together, clad in blue jeans and white t-shirts, they performed at Ray’s Lounge on S. Flores St. Seven years and several Rio label recordings later, still remaining friends, they went their separate ways.

 

Flaco, still Henry’s friend, was present at the induction ceremony. Daniel Garzes, Paulino Bernal, Beatriz “La Paloma del Norte” Llamas, Michael Salgado, La Tropa F and Los Cuatro Vientos were also in attendance to honor Zimmerle and Carmen Marroquin. Not to mention Elizabeth Lopez and Mary Jane Garza of El Mundo in Austin, plus disc jockeys from all over the state.

 

Next Henry Jr. joined Los Pavos Reales and formed the Texas Band Association, a musician’s union that folded in 1961 at which time he formed Henry Zimmerle y El Conjunto San Antonio. Almost immediately, Falcon Records signed the handsome young man, with movie-star looks.

 

“Six records and one year later nothing happened and it appeared I was about to be dropped when one day I pulled out an old weathered sheet I had carried in my pocket for years,” the inductee said. “The torn tattered piece of paper contained a song my father wrote many years ago. It was ‘El Señor De Los Milagros,’ the song that opened the door for me and made me famous.

 

“Within 60 days they called me for performances in fifteen states, but I was afraid and decided not to risk loosing my full-time job. So I kind of shut the doors on myself. This is the record that turned my career around. After that happened and to this day, I regret not taking the offers.”

 

“Lagrimas Lloro” was the flip side to this 1963 Falcon Records hit. “Que Nos Entierren Juntos,” “Mar De Lagrimas” and “Celoso,” were other Falcon hits that assured his popularity in all four-corners of the United States.

 

In 1973, he even recorded a country and western tune “Eleven Roses” backed by “I Am Alone Because I Love You” with Charlie Pride’s band on ARV International. Other country tunes he did were “Shutters and Boards” and “Without Your Love” on Teardrop Records. After that recordings on Renner, Atlas, Hacienda and Dina record companies followed.
Thirty years later, in 2003, he was inducted into the Tejano Conjunto Music Hall of Fame. That same year, Ezequiel Peña was nominated for several national awards for “To All the Girls I’ve Ever Loved,” recorded as “A Todas Las Que Ame.”

 

“It’s eerie because I was the first Mexican American to record a Spanish-language version of the Julio Iglesias-Willie Nelson hit, but it did not catch on until the young Mexican vocalist, from Nayarit, re-recorded it,” Zimmerle said.

 

“I remember seeing them perform the song on television and I told myself, ‘That is a hit if I ever heard one.’ But it wasn’t out yet. So I told my wife to copy down the words as soon as it got played on the radio. Once I got the lyrics, I took them to Salome Gutiérrez who immediately translated them into ‘A Todas Las Mujeres Que. Yo Ame.’ ”

 

Since then, he has also recorded “Calles de San Antonio,” “De Que Me Sirve” and “Cambio Mi Suerte.” And also since then, each weekend you can see and hear Zimmerle sing and play his hits at Lerma’s Night Club or at the Royal Palace Ballroom. For bookings or more information, call 210-734-4105.