1950 Juan Manuel’s parents bought him a small acoustic guitar. His mother Petra taught him a song she knew on the guitar, no chords just the melody. He taught himself how to play. His mom used to sing & whistle songs like; “Rayando El Sol”, “Delgadina”, “Cuando Escuches Este Vals”, and “Rosita Vals”. Family members on her side of the family were musically oriented. Her brother in law, Refugio Lopez played bajo sexto and guitar. Juan Manuel picked up some of his moves by watching him play and hearing him sing “El Tango Negro”. Another person he remembers meeting on the migrant trail in Oklahoma, was a nephew of Refugio by name of Joaquin “Chique” Lopez, who played the guitar and sang great. He taught him the song “El Canto Del Bracero”. In Minnesota, Juan Manuel also met a man that had an electric guitar and a small amplifier. The sound of the amplified guitar made a great impression on him and he kept asking him to play the song “Blue Tango” over and over.

1952 The Barco family purchased their first new car ever in Austin, Minnesota. Juan Manuel’s brother, Eliazar died in Casa Grande, Arizona. Many babies and toddlers of migrant families died that year including Juan Manuel’s sister Lidia’s first born, Jorge Luis Ayala, from a plague.

1953 A tornado destroyed the migrant camp in Hollandale, Minnesota where the Barco family were living. Seven persons from one family were killed. Juan’s guitar disappeared and later was found five miles from the camp in an asparagus field. It was all broken up.

1956 The Barco family ran out of money in Gilroy, California. They were stranded in their 1952 Ford on the side of the road (highway 101) for three days until a farmer (Mr. Rossi) from San Martin, California offered them work and an old shed to live in.

1957 - 1963 Juan Manuel’s father bought him a huge National electric guitar. Juan Manuel and his cousin Felix (Jay) Maldonado formed a band called the Hi-Tones. Jay’s younger sister, Carol and Alice Maldonado also sang in the band. The Maldonados moved from San Antonio, Texas to Cupertino, California. Their knowledge of Doo Wop and Tejano R&B artist expanded Juan Manuel’s musical horizons. Juan Manuel’s parents gave him a Gibson electric guitar and a Magnatone amplifier for Christmas. Juan Manuel played in different bands all through his Junior High and High School years. Don & The Vanguards, The Sensations, The Cannon Brothers, Stan Cannon & The Metronomes, Willy Scott and The Velveteens. Juan Manuel’s brother Reynaldo, gave him a Martin Macias bajo sexto and a few 45’s of Tony De La Rosa, Amadeo Flores, Valerio Longoria, and Paulino Bernal. Juan Manuel became obsessed with teaching himself how to play the bajo sexto. He practiced after school every day by listening and playing along with the different conjunto styles on his 45 rpm records. He began to play with the following Conjuntos; Andy Martinez Conjunto, Ezequiel Soza Conjunto, Teodoro Mata Conjunto, Ray Balderas Conjunto. Juan Manuel’s grandfather, Manuel died In December 1963. He accompanied his parents to Texas for the funeral. While there, he saw his uncle Refugio Lopez who gave him an electric solid body Martin Macias bajo sexto. It was very heavy and had a totally different sound than his acoustic bajo sexto.

1964 Juan Manuel gained a reputation as a bajo sexto player. His idols were/are Lupe Enriquez, Eloy Bernal, Roberto Mata, Cuate Salinas, Adan De La Rosa, Ramon Medina, Oscar Tellez and Toby Torres. Juan Manuel formed his own conjunto with Ruben Loredo/accordion, Noe Falcon/ bass, Rafas Sanchez/ Drums. Joey Lopez from the Guadalupanos heard them play and set up an appointment to record them for Bego Records at Victory Studios in Fresno, CA. Juan Manuel and the band went to Fresno but no one from Bego showed up. The recording engineer contacted Art Walker of Fama Records in San Jose, CA and he agreed to pay for the recording session. They conjunto recorded 10 songs.

1965 Juan Manuel was drafted into the US Army. Noe Falcon and Ruben Loredo formed their own conjunto. Fama Records released two 45 rpm records of the Juan Barco conjunto. The songs are “Cien Anos”, Platicando Polka, Tienes Que Pagar, Mi Alegre Conjunto. “Mi Alegre Conjunto is the first song he wrote. Juan Manuel joined an R&B band made up of soldiers at Fort Polk, Louisiana. While in the Army, Juan Manuel continued to compose more songs. La Noche Mas Bonita, Eliazar and others were written.

1966 Juan Manuel ends up waiting “in transit” at The Yakima Firing Center with orders to go to Viet Nam. Fortunately, the U.S. Army lost track of him and he remained at the Yakima post his entire tour of duty. While there, Juan Manuel played with local club blues/country bands. He met Jose (Lupe) G. Guzman and his two sons Joel & Joe in March 1966. Lupe played the bajo sexto and had his own family conjunto. His son Joel was a gifted accordion player at 9 yrs old and his brother Joe was already a fine drummer at 11 yrs old.

1967 Juan Manuel met the rest of Guzman family and was invited to join the family conjunto. Unfortunately he couldn’t play the bajo sexto in the conjunto because that is what Lupe Guzman played. He ended up playing the bass instead. By the end of the year, the conjunto went to record at Victory Studios in Fresno for Fama Records out of San Jose, CA. Juan Manuel sang the lead in a tune called “La Tapatia” and he also recorded one of his songs called “Los Ultimos De Octubre”.

1968 Juan Manuel landed a spot on the “New Careers” State of Washington program. The program allowed a person to attend collage while working half time for the State with the eventual outcome of a degree in the social services field related to work being performed. Art Walker of Fama Records introduced him to Los Tigres Del Norte at the Discorama record shop in San Jose, California. He tells Juan Manuel that the Guzman conjunto is very musically talented but need to work on their presentation or show. He feels the Tigres put on a great show and have nice outfits. Juan Manuel had to leave the Guzman conjunto but started playing with Daniel Gonzalez y Su Conjunto Del Mar. He played the guitar because the trend was for conjuntos to use guitars instead of bajo sextos. Daniel played drums, Roberto & Cruz Rangel played the accordions and Freddy Gonzalez played terrific bass. Later the name of the conjunto was changed to “La Inspiracion”. One 45 rpm record was recorded.

1969 Juan Manuel married Norma Linda Guzman. Juan Jose Barco is born on October 24, 1969.

1974 Juan Manuel and his family moved to Seattle, Washington where he enrolled in the School of Social Work graduate program at University of Washington. He met up with Salvador Vijarro and began playing with his band. He also played with a band called “La Unica”. They were the house band at “La Casita” restaurant/club in Edmonds, Washington.

1976 Juan Manuel received a Masters in Social Work Degree from the University of Washinton. He rejoined Joe, Joel, Teresa, Margarita, Manuel Guzman, and they form a band they named “Alma Chicana”. Eventually Lupe Guzman joins the band but later returns to Sunnyside, WA.

1978 Alma Chicana Band is invited to go on tour with Little Joe Y La Familia. Joel Guzman left with them immediately and the rest of the band joined them in early December at Temple, TX. Little Joe changed the name of the band to “Los Guzmanes”. They recorded an LP for his label BSR. It was never released.

1979 Los Guzmanes broke up after Joel Guzman decided to join Little Joe Y La Familia and Little Joe wanted to assist “Los Guzmanes” to find a replacement for Joel. How could Joel be replaced?

1980 Los Guzmanes band regrouped and began playing locally again without Joel Guzman. The first version of “Don Luis El Tejano” was recorded then. In the 80’s and 90’s other accordion players played for Los Guzmanes. Vicente Moran, Fred De Leon, Andy Gonzalez. Sam Cardenas and Margarita Guzman played the saxophones. Juan Jose (JJ) Barco played the keyboard for awhile with the band.

1989 Latin Breed with Jay Perez recorded “Don Luis El Tejano”. The song became an instant hit wherever Tejano music was being played. Jay Perez started introducing it to audiences as the “Tejano National Anthem”. Radio DJ’s started introducing it the same way and today it has become a Tejano classic that continues to get airplay and generate royalties.

1990 Juan Manuel received his first nomination for “songwriter of the year” at the Annual Tejano Awards.

1991 Juan Manuel received his second nomination for “songwriter of the year” at the Tejano Music Awards.

1992 Juan Manuel played with local conjuntos like, Los Volcanes de Eddie Rodriguez, Los Vagos De Salvador Vijarro, Cruz Gongora y Canela. He also made countless presentations singing as a duo with Teresa Guzman. Played Bumbershoot Festival.

1994 Began to play Folklife.

1995 Juan Manuel began performing for School Programs through Northwest Folklife Education Department as “The Juan Barco Trio” with Andy Gonzalez and Jose G. Guzman. The group performed at Universities, Colleges, High Schools, Middle Schools and Elementary schools all over the Northwest. Juan Manuel introduced The Musical Migrant Trip portion of his performances which has become his musical signature.

1996 Los Guzmanes reunited to play the Seattle Northwest Folklife Festival. This was the last time Joel Guzman performed with the family band.

1999 Juan Manuel retired from full time Washington State employment but continued to work half time until 2005. Juan Manuel started as a social service assistant in 1968, promoted to caseworker, social worker, casework supervisor, deputy administrator and administrator of Aging and Adult Services of the region with the largest population. (Seattle-King County).

2000 - 2008 Juan Manuel began playing the bass with Bonnie Birch on the Christmas Snowtrain. Juan Gonzalez joined the Juan Barco Trio and the name changed to Juan Manuel Barco y Su Conjunto. Juan Manuel began work on his only CD in June 2002. He finally finished his CD project at the end of 2006 but released it officially in 2007.

Present Juan Manuel performs solo or with his Conjunto. He also performs off and on with Bobby Medina, Los Huicholes Trio with Ray Garcia & Salvador Vijarro, Bonnie Birch and the Midnight Trio, Los Todos with Steve Rice and Los Chaparros with Chris Clark, Toby Hansen and the Smiling Scandinavians.