Texas lost a founding father of tejano when Bishop native ISIDRO LOPEZ passed away last August. López, whose half-Apache blood earned him the nickname El Indio, was a born star; his chiseled good looks, seductively warm sax sound, and impossibly mellifluous voice destined him for fame. Starting on the saxophone in theforties, he was leading his own band by the mid-fifties. 15 MORE ORIGINAL HITS (Arhoolie) is a second winning collection of songs from his pioneering first decade in the music business, when he seamlessly married jaunty accordion-based conjunto to a smooth big-band sound. It’s easy to see how his passionate performances reached a large audience eager for something new. Songs like “Traigo Mi 45” have the lilt of big-band swing; others, like “Donde Estás,” flirt with early rock. López croons over them all like a Hispanic Sinatra.
