Cali Carranza obit

Tejano musician, Pharr native Cali Carranza dies at 59

 

He was not on the list.

PHARR, Texas — Cali Carranza, a tejano musician who was born and raised in Pharr, died Tuesday at the age of 59.

Carranza succumbed to ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a debilitating condition that affects muscle movement.

Music was a part of Carranza’s life from the very beginning, and it made him happy, said Marissa Hernandez, his oldest daughter.

“It was his passion, his great love, and we came to realize as the ALS progressed, and he wasn’t able to play like he used to, what a prodigy he was when it came to music.”

Carranza started playing drums when he was 3 years old, and by the age of 8, he was playing the accordion and performing in his father’s band.

In 1973, Carranza joined Conjunto Bernal, and later played with Roberto Pulido before forming his own band, Los Formales.

“He wrote hundreds of songs and arranged so much music for his own band and other bands,” Hernandez said. “And he was never able to read music.”

His inability to read music didn’t hold him back from recording memorable tejano hits, such as “Pideme La Luna,” a 1994 track.

Carranza was diagnosed in early 2008, and the disease accelerated, especially this past year, Hernandez said.

When he became unable to play the accordion because of his failing motor skills, Carranza played piano. Then when piano became difficult, he sang. Soon, though, his voice faltered.

“Really, he was stripped of (his voice) almost completely,” his eldest daughter said. “Even songwriting became impossible because he couldn’t put pen to paper.”

He still found joy listening to other tejano music, including bands like Los Aguilares, Ruben y Alfonso Ramos and The Latin Breed.

“He also loved American pop music: James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney,” his daughter said.

Hernandez’s favorite song by her father was “Momentos.”

“It talks about how time is fleeting and it was one of his favorite recordings,” Hernandez said. “He loved the lyrics of that song.”