Rancho Alegre Interview - Vicente ”Chente” Alonzo

In this interview, recorded in August 2017, Baldomero Cuellar talks with Vicente "Chente" Alonzo, an Austin conjunto music legend with nearly 60 years in the business.

While he played bajo sexto with several different bands, he was most recognizable as the longtime second voice and bajista for El Montopolis Kid Johnny Degollado, with whom he began playing in 1957. Some of his final performances were with Chencho Flores y Su Conjunto.

During this conversation, we talked about his career, balancing family and music life, and much more. We always said that he was one of the most underrecognized musicians out there -- he could hang with the best of the best and was as steady as a rock.

He was inducted into the Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame in January 2020, along with his bandmates and friends Chencho Flores (who passed in January 2021), Frank Flores (who passed in 2024), Augie Arreola (who passed away in November 2019), and John Majalca, the last surviving member of Chencho Flores y Su Conjunto.

Chente Alonzo passed away Sunday March 29, 2020 at age 81 and leaves behind a rich legacy of traditional conjunto music.

We hope you enjoy getting to know this very humble and kind man who was also an exceptional musician.

Included in this playlist are clips from his live performance with Chencho Flores y Su Conjunto, recorded at One-2-One Bar in Austin, Texas on September 24, 2017.

Editor's note: interview is in Spanish. 

Here's what we played: 

• Puñal Del Olvido
• Viva Seguin
• El Silencio De La Noche
• El Rosalito
• El Pajuelazo
• Morena La Causa Fuiste