In the late 1960’s, Linda Escobar was a child singer with a gold record, “Frijolitos Pintos”, which she composed. Today, Linda stands before a four-decade career, has been inducted into the Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Music Hall of Fame and is one of the last original “reinas” of Tex-Mex music still alive and performing today. As a matter of fact, Linda was titled: “The First Lady of Conjunto Music”, by Javier Villanueva, Former President of the Tejano R.O.O.T.S. Organization.
Natives of Alice, Texas, Linda and her father, the legendary Conjunto Pioneer: Eligio Escobar, were a father and daughter team that toured nationwide with a caravan of stars that included: Lucha Villa, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Cantinflas, Los Relampagos, Tony De La Rosa, Conjunto Bernal, Freddie Fender and many more.
A graduate of Incarnate Word Academy, Linda decided to continue her career by forming her own band ZAMEN as well as doing some guest spots with bands like La Sombra, Grupo Mayo, Freddie Martinez, Tony De La Rosa, Gilberto Perez, Flaco Jimenez, Mingo Saldivar, and Los Dos Gilbertos. In 1987, Linda won Female Vocalist of the Year at the West Texas Music Awards in Lubbock, Texas.
The death of her father in 1994 dealt a cruel blow, which forced Linda to question her life in conjunto music, but she felt a tender obligation to continue with the Escobar legacy. Her quest became fulfilled when she met and started performing with Japanese accordionist Kenji “El Gato” Katsube and his Conjunto J. Quite a couple on stage, they formed an eclectic blend of Asian/Tex-Mex music that Linda called “rice and beans”.
In 2001, Linda toured Japan and was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year at the South Texas Conjunto Association (STCA) Music Awards in both 2001 and in 2003.
In May 2003, Linda suffered more heartbreak when her music partner, Kenji “El Gato” Katsube died of cancer. She released a CD dedicated to Kenji entitled “Llorando En Silencio” where she features her own composition “El Corrido de Kenji” in his honor. In this same cd, Linda was awarded the Number One song of the Top 100 songs in 2005, by KEDA radio station in San Antonio. The name of this song is “Lonely Letters”.
In memory of her father and all Veterans, Linda founded “El Veterano Conjunto Festival”. The November festival, now in it’s 12th year of existence, benefits the “Eligio Escobar Scholarship Fund, established to help young children with musical talent in Conjunto music continue their education. So far, Linda has awarded 40 scholarships!
Linda has recorded five other CD’s with her own conjunto, under her own label, Escobar Records. These CD’s are entitled “Dejenme Vivir Mi Vida”, “Conjunto Dream”, “Mi Cantina” and “Con Sentimiento y Corazon” and recently (2009) Linda released her “25 Greatest Hits” cd. Linda recorded a cd with La Kreazion - a conjunto from Corpus Christi, TX – in August 2008 under Q-Vo Records entitled “La Diva de Conjunto”. This cd was nominated in three categories at the 2009 Tejano Music Awards.
Linda was awarded the Key to the City of Alice and awarded “Best Female Vocalist Performance” by KUKA Radio Station and also “Female Vocalist of the Year” award by KOPY Radio Station in Alice, Texas.
In July, 2006, Linda represented the Conjunto Tejano genre, together with Mingo Saldivar, at the 3rd Annual National Tejano Music Convention at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, performing for a crowd of 5,300! In January 2007, Linda was appointed as a member of the Tejano Roots Organization Board of Directors. This year, 2010, Linda will again represent the Conjunto Tejano genre at the 7th Annual National Tejano Music Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Linda’s mission in life is to promote and preserve her roots music, which is Conjunto Tejano or Tex-Mex music, while holding down a full time job with a State of Texas agency in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she currently resides.
