The Texas Report – Songwriter/Performer Augie Meyers at Fiesta San Antonio
If you’ve ever been to San Antonio for ¡Fiesta! consider yourself lucky. The city-wide party is ten days of music, parades, fireworks, chicken-on-a-stick, barbecue, and tacos. Lots of tacos. During this celebration, some 3 million Tejanos and visitors from far and wide gather for a multitude of events including a nighttime parade, a river parade, una charreada, a thrilling carnival, a masquerade party, a flower show, along with music concerts of all genres. The Market Square concert stage alone, known as Fiesta de los Reyes, draws 600,000 Tejano music, conjunto, Latin jazz, and Country Western music revelers.
One of the most anticipated musical performances of the 2022 Fiesta de los Reyes is the one with the one-and-only Augie Meyers, who was recently honored by the City of San Antonio and Bexar County with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Meyers is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of his international hit, “Hey, Baby, Que Paso.” First written by Meyers in 1982, then revised in 1986 as “Kep Pa So,” the ditty received some national airplay. But three years later, when Meyers joined with music icons Flaco Jimenez and the late Freddy Fender to form The Texas Tornadoes, the song became “Hey Baby, Que Paso” and shot to the top of the international hit chart and into hearts across the nation.
This rocking, rollicking, Tejano, Mexicano accordion swinging polka, with Meyers jamming the squeezebox, Flaco on the acordeón, and Fender crushing his electric guitar was soon catapulted into our collective memory. Many consider “Hey Baby” to be the National Anthem of San Antonio. Just hearing the lyrics, “Hey, Baby, que paso? Thought I was your only vato!” makes you want to pull on your cowboy botas and get on the dancefloor.
With his signature whiskey label “Kep Pa So” being launched at the regal Kings Party, Meyers will have a ringside seat for the grand tradition of the crowning of “El Rey Feo,” the People’s King.
This year the crown of the 73rd El Rey Feo is bestowed upon businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Augustine “Augie” Cortez, Jr. This San Antonio native is a dedicated volunteer as a mentor for elementary school students, and a member of River Road Association Board, the Midtown Brackenridge planning development board, and was recently named to the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities. This 2022 ”El Rey Feo” plans on donating much of his time, efforts, and resources by helping raise money for local charities and churches of all faiths and denominations throughout the community. A successful restaurateur, Cortez and his wife Sandra and four sons are most proud of their restaurants, the locals’ favorite eating spots, Augie’s Barbed Wire Grill and Augie’s Alamo City BBQ & Steakhouse.
The crowned El Rey Feo’s principal function is to raise funds for the Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation to support scholarships benefiting local youth. Fiesta San Antonio impacts the City to the tune of $340 million and supports over 100 nonprofits. The Rey Feo Consejos Crowning presented by the Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation is one of Fiesta’s largest events.
The Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation fraternal organization is composed of former Reyes Feos Civic and Business Leaders whose mission is to uphold the traditions of the Rey Feo, increase awareness, and support the fundraising efforts of the Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation.
So if you’re in Tejas or anywhere near San Antonio on April 1st this is your invitation to join royalty for the 73rd “People’s King” crowning. Entertainment includes mariachis, folklórico dancers and the introduction of members of the court of King Augie Cortez, Jr., former Reyes Feos, members of the Consejo, and Fiesta royalty in front of the historic San Fernando Cathedral, downtown San Anto! Come for the crowning and stay for the ten-day Fiesta! ending on April 10th.
