A hot air balloon ride through the canyons of Turkey was thrilling, beautifuland indescribable.Photo courtesy of Deborah Elias
Showing Texas pride at EphesusPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Enjoying a boat ride on the Marmara Sea: From left, Giti and Parivesh Zarinkelk,Deborah Elias, Sara Smith, Scott Brogan and Alyssa GoldsmithPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Evil eye necklaces for salePhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Exploring the Underground City in Goreme National ParkPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Deborah Elias learns to make homemade Turkish breakfast breads in the CCR Hotelin Cappadocia.Photo courtesy of Deborah Elias
The captain from Balloon Turca deftly drifted the balloon through thespectacular canyons, and upon landing staff provided us with a much welcomedglass of champagne.Photo courtesy of Deborah Elias
Carlos Obando in an Istanbul rug shopPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
A gorgeous morning in TurkeyPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Carlos Obando, from left, the Hon. Ahmet Aydin, deputy chairman of the MajorityPolitical Party, and Ximena MurilloPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Ximena Murillo, left, learning how to make a Turkish rugPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Deborah Elias in an underground cistern in IstanbulPhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Deborah Elias, Alyssa Goldsmith and Sara Smith at Haga Sophia MosquePhoto courtesy of Deborah Elias
Dinner at the home of a Turkish businessman and his family.Photo courtesy of Deborah Elias
For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.
The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.
Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.
“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.
Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.
“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.
The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.
The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz
Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.
Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.
Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.
Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.
“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”
That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.
The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.
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