End of an Era for Los Fantasmas del Valle

Rodney Rodriguez.

After 17 years, 33-year-old accordionist Rodney “El Cucuy” Rodriguez of Rio Grande City has left the iconic conjunto Los Fantasmas del Valle.

This won’t be the place to spread rumors or chisme about what is exactly going on or what went down between the bandmates in this conjunto. I don’t know, first of all. The only things I do know and have heard is that Rodriguez is starting a new conjunto, the Facebook page for Los Fantasmas del Valle has been deactivated, and that the rest of the scheduled 2017 dates have been cancelled for the longtime conjunto.

The group has been one of the longest lasting conjunto groups in Rio Grande Valley history. This Mercedes-based band got the name Los Fantasmas del Valle from Alejandro Perez — the brother of the conjunto legend Gilberto Perez — after they recorded "Mis Pasos Andaran", a spooky song about a man who died but came back as a ghost to haunt his girlfriend.

At the time, Los Fantasmas del Valle was led by bass player Hector Barron, bajo-sexto player Julian Figueroa and accordionist Gilberto Rodriguez. The latter left after a run that lasted several years. Several accordionists rotated in and out, until Mike Gonzalez secured the role in 1975. He held on to that accordionist position for 25 years until he fell ill in 2000.   

That’s where Rodney Rodriguez comes in. The story is a famous one of how he joined Los Fantasmas del Valle. Barron received a recommendation from a fellow conjunto musician named Freddie Gonzalez to check out this young accordionist from Rio Grande City. An audition was scheduled at the Burger King in Pharr, near the Expressway and I Road (now called Veterans Road).

The 16-year-old accordionist had already been playing conjunto music for several years. He first started playing at the age of 13 in Rio Grande City at a air conditioning shop that was owned by Richard Lund. This was his big shot at joining one of the most popular conjunto acts in the Valley.

Rodriguez’s father gave his son a ride from Rio Grande City and he introduced himself first to the band.

"The Fantasmas thought that my dad was actually me," Rodriguez told me in 2015. "That he was the guy that was going to audition. Dice mi apa, 'Pues dejame traer a mi hijo.'" (My dad said, 'Well let me go get my son.')

He hopped out of the car surprising the band of older musicians by how young he looked.

"Me arranque con ella," (I started shredding it,) Rodriguez said. "They were surprised. They were like, 'O lo hizo igualito.' No mas oyeron esa y me dijo Hector, 'Alistate pa' el weekend.' Asi fue la cosa." (‘Oh, he did it exactly the same (as Gonzalez).' They just heard it and Hector told me, 'Get ready for the weekend.' That's how it went down.)

A few weeks later Los Fantasmas del Valle, with Rodriguez on board, traveled to Washington, D.C., where they represented South Texas conjunto music at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in the Summer of 2000.

As their accordionist, Rodriguez would be an important member of the group for the next 17 years. During that period Los Fantasmas del Valle became one of the most consistent conjunto acts of the 2000’s. They played all throughout the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas: at La Lomita Park in McAllen, the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center Conjunto Festival in San Benito, and even at the Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio. They also released multiple CD’s and merchandise during this time frame.

With Rodriguez gone, an era has come to an end. No word yet what is the plan with Los Fantasmas del Valle. But the good news is that Rodriguez, who at the young age of 33 already has a lifetime of experience, plans to continue carrying the torch (or accordion, in this case) for conjunto music well into the future.

I’ve been in touch with Rodney Rodriguez and we are planning to have an interview in the coming weeks to discuss his future in conjunto music. So we will keep you updated about what he plans to do in the conjunto music world.