Tish Hinojosa, The Press, and the American Dream
Introduction
Leticia “Tish” Hinojosa is a singer/songwriter born and raised in San Antonio, TX, who is a prominent Mexican-American folk music figure. Born on December 6, 1955, to Mexican immigrant parents, Tish was always involved with singing and the arts as a child. Her 1989 debut album, Homeland, skyrocketed her to fame and placed her on a pedestal as a representation of the American dream.
Hinojosa is a folk artist at her core. A genre known for being the music of an “other.” Alongside Tish Hinojosa and her music, in the press, there were always buzzwords such as “melting pot,” “American dream,” “heritage,” and a clear feeling that Tish’s success with her first album represents the foundational values of America. However, this pedestal overlooks Hinojosa’s artistic abilities and creative freedom, which are clearly values of hers that shine through in her words to the press.
Career
After winning the 1979 “new folk artist” award at the Kerrville Music Festival, Tish put herself on the map. She began her career on one path – straight to Nashville to become a country artist. After attempting to market herself as a singer-songwriter (with her little to no writing experience), she was unsuccessful in Nashville and moved to Austin with her then-husband and attorney Craig Barker. After her 1987 record “Taos to Tennessee” was released, she gained traction not in country music but in folk. She discovered her passion for creative freedom and songwriting about her passions rather than fitting into the country mold. Her first deal landed her a spot at A&M Records, where she released Homeland, which skyrocketed her career. She’s best known for the lyrics she wrote about her experience as a Mexican-American in America. In 1989, Hinojosa released her album "Homeland," which cemented her and her record label, A&M Records, in the Austin music scene. Since then, Hinojosa has released 16 albums and continues to perform today. Her legacy in Texas folk music, especially as a representation for Mexican-American singer-songwriters, lies in how Tish Hinojosa blends English and Spanish lyricism with traditional folk sounds to center Mexican-American experiences.
Song Comparison
One song in particular, Donde Voy, was particularly popular from "Homeland." The lyrics, sung in Spanish, paint a picture of someone fleeing in hopes of starting a better life for themself. On the same album is the song, “Who Showed You the Way to My Heart," a romantic ballad sung in English and Spanish. Not only do the two vastly different songs show Hinojosa’s lyrical breadth, but they also highlight how overlooked parts of her career are because of her focus on Mexican-American experiences in her music.
Below are excerpts of key lyrics in each song:
Donde Voy
https://youtu.be/0N-WwZKHbSc?si=2GdgjH-a1Nj55wYf
Chorus:
Donde Voy donde voy
(where I go where I go)
Esperanza es mi destinacion
(Hope is my destination)
Solo estoy solo estoy
(I’m alone I’m alone)
Por el monte profugo voy
(through the desert a fugitive I go)
Who Showed You the Way to my Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc4zH61VFa0&list=RDDc4zH61VFa0&start_radio=1
Chorus
What was it I didn’t see
Who showed you how to believe
I couldn’t say where I’d been
You taught me living again
I know love finds a place to grow and then waits
For those who take it slow but even so
Who showed you the way to my heart