This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll meet a television host who entertained and educated his audience.
Domingo Peña was born on December 16, 1917, in Kingsville, Texas. During the Great Depression, his family moved to Corpus Christi, where Peña began working in radio and television. From 1964 to 1981, his Domingo Peña Show was one of the most popular television programs in South Texas. Peña’s show featured performances from a variety of Tejano musicians, including Isidro Lopez and Esteban Jordan.
In addition to musical entertainment, the Domingo Peña Show also served as a high-profile forum in which Peña and his guests discussed issues of concern to the Hispanic community. Along with the many musicians who appeared on his program, Domingo Peña hosted representatives from such groups as LULAC and the American G.I. Forum to discuss Hispanic civil rights in Texas.
Next time on This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll learn about a small record label that had a big impact on Texas music.
