Juan Manuel Barco

Juan M. Barco – Guitar

Juan was born in Coal Mine, TX. This town later became Lytle, TX. Juan’s family were migrant farm workers that followed the crop harvests within Texas and eventually to other states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona & California. His musical knowledge incorporates all the music styles he heard as they traveled from place to place. Juan taught himself to play the guitar at 6 yrs old and later taught himself to play the bajo sexto and bass guitar. He also composed his own songs about the family migrant experience. He began playing for Seattle Northwest Folklife Education in 1994. His personal mission was to play for migrant kids in northwest schools to encourage/motivate them to continue to stay in school and get an education. He also saw himself as a role model with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington that students could relate to and see that it can be done. (Si se puede/yes we can!)




	Juan M. Barco – Guitar Juan was born in Coal Mine, TX. This town later became Lytle, TX. Juan’s family were migrant farm workers that followed the crop harvests within Texas and eventually to other states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arizona & California. His musical knowledge incorporates all the music styles he heard as they traveled from place to place. Juan taught himself to play the guitar at 6 yrs old and later taught himself to play the bajo sexto and bass guitar. He also composed his own songs about the family migrant experience. He began playing for Seattle Northwest Folklife Education in 1994. His personal mission was to play for migrant kids in northwest schools to encourage/motivate them to continue to stay in school and get an education. He also saw himself as a role model with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington that students could relate to and see that it can be done. (Si se puede/yes we can!)

	Indalecio “Andy” Gonzalez - Accordion Andy was born in Donna, Texas. He comes from a migrant family that migrated within Texas and other states. The Gonzalez family eventually ended up in the Yakima Valley in Washington where they settled. Andy learned to play the diatonic accordion in his teens in the traditional Tex-Mex Conjunto style. He has played and performed with several conjuntos, including his own, in the Pacific Northwest. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the Juan Manuel Barco band. He enhances Juan Manuel’s presentations not only with his stylish accordion playing but with his contributions to storytelling and promotion of education to all children specially those with migrant backgrounds. Andy works for the State of Washington’s employment security agency. He has worked for the state for many years in the employment counseling field. Andy and his family reside in Brownstown, Washington in the Yakima Valley area.

	Jose G. Guzman – Bajo Sexto Jose was born in Edinburg, Texas and migrated to Washinton State in the late forties. He is recognized as one of the Tejano Music pioneers in Washington. He and a handful of other musicians began playing for home celebrations and dances in the Yakima Valley Area. Eventually he formed his own family band and they played all over the Northwest. Jose is considered a “Master Bajo Sexto” player. Jose lives in Sunnyside, WA and retired from the Hanford Plant and dedicates himself to playing his favorite style of music. Two of his boys, Jose and Joel Guzman have achieved success in the music business and continue to play on their own.

	Juan Gonzalez – Bass Guitar Juan was born in Robstown, Texas. His family migrated to Washington and worked in the fields. All his family are musically talented. Juan plays the bass and has had lots of experience playing in different types of bands and music styles. Juan heads his own band, Tierra Mala in the Yakima Valley. Juan once resided in the Los Angeles, California area where he gained a lot of musical ideas. He is a great singer and is known for his strong voice.

	David Garza – Drummer David was born in Hargil, Texas. David spent a big part of his life in Parlier, California and around the Fresno, CA area. He played Tejano conjunto music with such groups as Estevan Jordan, El Conjunto Flamingo, Leonel Pulido y Los Cardenales, Mananeros De Nuevo Leon. David moved to the Yakima Valley and plays with a variety of groups including Juan M. Barco’s Conjunto.


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