The courtyard at WaterStreet Market is the location of the South Texas Music Walk of Fame with more than 75 stars for influential musicians, festivals and organizations in the Coastal Bend. Courtesy photo
Texas music is a huge industry, bringing a large number of visitors to the Lone Star State for festivals and concerts. An array of genres and successful musicians have emerged from Texas. Though outsiders might think of country music legends such as Willie Nelson and Robert Earl Keen, the state’s music industry has so much more to offer.
“Music is one of Texas’s top tourist attractions and has a positive impact on the state’s economy,” State Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) said in a recent constituent newsletter. “The unique music industry in Texas is highly successful and rich in its history.”
The music industry in the Coastal Bend is no exception. With festivals and events such as Fiesta de la Flor, the Texas Jazz Festival, Dia de los Muertos Street Festival, Texas SandFest and more, it isn’t difficult to find live music to enjoy.
Of course, Corpus Christi is well-known for the late Selena Quintanilla. Selena fans can visit the Selena Museum, pose next to the Selena statue on Shoreline Boulevard and pay respects at her gravesite. Fiesta de la Flor, now in its fourth year, is the city’s biggest music festival, with a sharp focus on the Queen of Tejano.
Hunter wants to put his hometown on the Texas Music Trail map. In 2016, he held the Power on Music Conference, a series of panels and live music to help up-and-coming musicians in the Coastal Bend.
Hunter is a musician himself. Now an attorney, he used to spend his time playing the trombone with local jazz groups. Hunter wishes to continuously promote and develop the Texas music industry.
Corpus Christi is also home to Dusty Oliveira, or El Dusty, a DJ that is very active in the local music scene. Oliveira’s song and music video “Cumbia Anthem” was nominated in the Best Urban Fusion/Performance for the 2016 Latin Grammy Awards.
Oliveira and his wife, Cecy Trevino, are dedicated to their hometown and the growth of its creative artists. He runs Turntable Academy, a program for aspiring young DJs, while she runs Chicas Rock, a girls-only music camp dedicated to performance. Oliveira and Trevino are raising a whole new generation of musicians in the Coastal Bend.
Another form of music is also gaining steam in Corpus Christi: singer-songwriter. The Corpus Christi Songwriters was founded in 2014 and launched “In the Rounds,” a monthly musical showcase with up to 10 participants and featured guest artists performing original songs. The organization provides resources for local songwriters in the Coastal Bend.
The South Texas Music Walk of Fame, located at the WaterStreet Market in downtown Corpus Christi, pays tribute to the diversity and abundance of music from South Texas artists. The Walk of Fame was started in 2004, and, each June, six more stars are added. Current stars include Selena, George Straight, Kris Kristofferson, The Texas Jazz Festival, the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra and more than 75 others.
“Music is an important factor in our economy,” Hunter told Corpus Christi Business News. “The Selena tribute brings in huge crowds and has a huge economic impact. We have lots of concerts throughout the city. We are home to the official Texas Jazz Festival. Corpus Christi music provides an indirect strong economic impact to the whole Coastal Bend.”
